Search For Family
by The Randomind
Summary: When Maria is disowned at ten years old for defending a missing relative she meets a friend that is a born warrior. With her own family deserting her, she has trouble knowing who to trust, or if they're making the right decision to find a relative who hasn't been seen by anyone in years, not realizing finding him is the least of her worries, yet is much closer than it seems.
1. No Longer Family

**_1/6/16_**

**_Attention:_**

**_I have decided to rewrite this story to correct major inconsistencies, purge the bad horror that is in this version, and fix the overall quality. You can find the new version on my profile (or just do the filters, whatever, the point is that it's out). It's being made in gradual sections much like this one was._**

**_This story is sandwiched between two parts of a larger story called Search For A Purpose. I am also working on that second part of that story. If you don't want to wait to finish this story with the improved version, go ahead and read this. However, be warned that the horror is not that good, and there are problems and inconsistencies with its parent story. This is your only warning. Nothing else about this version is updated from here, on out._**

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><p><strong><span><em>Chapter One: No Longer Family<em>**

_Unknown Place Maria's POV_

I can't believe it. The old duffel bag that was nearly useless to begin with was starting to completely shred up. I'm hiding under a tree for shelter from the pouring rain, , it's pitch dark outside, and I feel like crying. Was I the only on that questioned whether ten-year-old kids should be sent off on their own like this, without any predetermined path?

_Oh, wait, I'm sorry,_ I thought to myself, _I was thrown out._ _What a bunch of hypocrites, they always said not to judge based on opinion, and here I am because I followed that logic! _I began to actually cry. Curled up in a helpless ball, I had never felt so alone in my life. After about five minutes I felt something tug on my shirt, like something was wrapping itself in part of it. I looked down and saw a small ralts clinging to me for warmth. Looking at it made it impossible to be mad. It just wanted shelter.

"Hey, little guy," I said to it, "need some warmth?"

**Please,** he spoke in telepathy, **I barely can keep going.**

"I can understand the language of pokemon, you can talk if you'd like." I looked around for an oran berry or another berry. I found a small sitrus tree next to us. I picked a berry and gave it to the ralts. "Can you still eat?"

"Yes, thanks." I started chewing on a bit of it as he scooted closer. He was still cold. We saw a woman walking about with a black umbrella. But then again, it was pitch dark, so how was I to know that it was black? The woman saw us, and sent out a pokemon. Suddenly, the area was almost blinding with light.

_Flash,_ I thought. The woman had blonde hair, and a black dress. She walked up to us.

"Are you two lost?" She asked. It was hard for me to answer, since I was too cold. "...I have a small villa you two can stay in if you'd like." I knew we wouldn't get very far if we refused, so the ralts and I accepted the woman's offer. We followed her to a small town I recognized as Undella town. She led us into the villa she mentioned. The villa was small, but warm. After taking _one _step into the house, the bag fell apart. It took a while to dry off by the fire, but it did the trick.

"...Um, excuse me, Miss, but may I ask you your name? My name is Maria." I was still shivering along with the ralts.

"My name is Cynthia."

"Champion of the Sinnoh League?" I couldn't believe my luck. "What's a champion like you doing in Unova?"

"Every spring and summer I come to this little place to sometimes get away from the hassle that goes with being a champion. How did you wind up on Route 14?" I couldn't answer for about five seconds. Then I gathered myself up and told my story.

"A few years ago, eight years, if I remember correctly, part of my extended family was attacked by a group of people. I can't remember the name of it, but my aunt and uncle were killed. It went all over the news. Nobody knows where my cousin is."

"Do you know why they were attacked?" Cynthia asked.

"...My uncle was a zoroark, which meant my cousin was a cross."

"You mean a pokemorh?" the ralts asked.

"Pokemorphs can switch between two forms, one pokemon, one human. Crosses have just the form of a human, but have all the natural capabilities of their pokemon side." I answered.

"So what does this have to do with you being outside in the rain?" Cynthia took a sip of coffee, and then set it down right away. She looked at the back of a Starmiebucks Coffee bag. _"Expired bag of crap,"_ She said under her breath.

"Despite that my aunt and uncle were killed, few seemed to even care. Most of them were anti-pokephiles, so them and my cousin were already dead to them before the attack even happened. About two days ago, when they were being ripped on just for being who they were, I defended them. I was booted out of the house with just this bag." I was starting to tear up a little. "They wouldn't stop being judgmental, even for family."

"...I'm sorry to hear that...sometimes it makes me sad knowing there are people like that in this world. My father was similar. He wasn't judgmental, but he never knew how to listen to others." I turned to her to hear her story. "My father always saw a future for me in the export business. I never took that to heart. I wanted to be a trainer, one that people could look up to. When I began the journey, my father kept opposing me. He kept trying to bring me down, saying that it's nothing more than a waste of one's life to train. I'm not angry at him for what he did."

"You're not?" I was shocked. "But he tried to stop you from pursuing your dream!"

"I didn't hate him for that. I pitied him. I pitied him because he, like many people, refused to believe in anything they didn't want to believe, even when it was right in front of him. If your cousin is still out there alive, I hope he realizes this, too. It is so frustrating having to deal with such people, and yet so little is done about it. That's why I travel to other regions, to show an example to others."

I looked out the window, showing Undella Bay. It was hard to see with all the rain, but I could still see the waves. Maybe my cousin is still alive. He could be still out there hiding. What if I could find him? What if I could help him out when he has been shunned more than I have?

"That's assuming he's still alive," the ralts said. I turned to him wondering how he knew what I was thinking. "I'm telepathic, remember? Who knows if he's even alive right now."

"Well, they said he went missing, but they never confirmed him dead." I crouched down to the ralts. "We could have a chance of finding him."

"But what if he's dead?" Cynthia said, "It doesn't seem like your family wants you back any time soon. Where are you going to go if he's not alive?"

"I could find a job somewhere and stay in a hotel room until I can completely get on my feet."

"That doesn't sound like a good plan." Cynthia replied.

"Well, there's not much I can do."

"But you can't go out when it's pouring and pitch dark out. We should get some rest."

"Yeah, I'm getting kind of tir-WHAT THE?" the ralts was staring at the window.

"I don't see anything," I looked out the widow. There wasn't anything scary or shocking. Then the rain on the window began to turn red, like blood. Then the bloody rain started forming a sentence.

_**dO nOt intErfeRe!**_

The rain then just returned to normal just like that. I felt like there was a cold chill down my spine. What the hell was that about?

"What are you two staring out the window for?" Cynthia asked. "Did you see a milotic wash ashore or something?"

"...Just seeing things," I lied. What I saw was definitely real, but it would be way too crazy for Cynthia to believe.

"Look, it's probably been a big day for you two, and you probably need some rest." With that being said, we all got ready to go to sleep. "Good night, you two."

"Good night," the ralts and I said in unison.

"Good night, Maria." the ralts said to me.

"Good night, ralts."

"...you can call me Mace."

"Okay then. Good night, Mace."

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><p><span><em>Unknown Place Unknown POV<em>

"How is the kid?" I asked a private.

"He's still stabilized. But the weird thing is..." The grunt was showing me a few medical papers, none of which I could understand...I'm not that good in reading medical records, I'm no doctor. All I knew was his status as "comatose" hadn't changed.

"And her?"

"We have yet to understand why she has fallen into the same condition. I guess their minds synced after we swarmed in. We also still don't know when they'll wake, if ever."

"What about the spirit? We want an extra sharp eye on him."

"He hasn't been able to make a dent in our containment device, he won't be going anywhere. It seems he doesn't have the same power he once did...and that's what I'm confused about."

"What do you mean?"

"You see, the kind of energy still in the spirit is in the kid, too. Not only that, but there is even a mixture of another energy in him, too."

"Are you sure this isn't just demonic energy?"

"No. Demonic energy is never in this abundance."

"Strange...and to think at the pond...we need to keep a good watch on this boy. He could be just what we need."

"You think he will listen?"

"Private," I picked up a sword I kept with me. It had a golden handle and a blade made of a pure white metal. "This blade, along with its dark counterpart still in the Lostlorn Forest, has slain many things considered unstoppable, whether they were super powerful or supernatural. These things alone still won't be enough. But if this kid is exactly what I think he could amount to be, we'll need him."

"After what we did and what we failed to do? You do remember why he even went into that forest, ri-"

"The officer that led that attack disobeyed direct orders and put his opinions first, which caused actions that were worthy of execution! I am not going to let something like that happen again! I refuse to allow such ignorance when timing is desperately needed to be precise! Do you understand?"

"...Yes, Boss." The grunt walked off. I looked at the kid. He seemed pretty peaceful, but a coma was probably a nightmare. I never saw what this boy did at the pond in Lostlorn Forest, but he has to be what we need. Everything depends on it. I know he isn't exactly thankful of my inaction years ago, but he must understand that when he wakes up, there is a bigger, much more savage enemy out there...


	2. Mace's Past And Two Strangers

**Randomind: So originally I wanted to make this a standalone story. It would have some connections to (half of) its predecessor, but it wouldn't completely rely on it. I ended up just fusing the stories because I drifted too far into the main story and I just gave up trying to pull them back apart. After six chapters is when I began work on the the new version of _Search For a Purpose, _sealing the fate of the attempted separation.**

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><p><strong><em><span>Chapter Two: Mace's Past and Two Strangers<span>_**

_Route 14 Maria's POV_

Mace and I were very grateful for Cynthia letting us stay at her villa for a while. The two of us decided that finding my cousin Adam would be a good idea, since he'd be the only family member who'd take us in. We still had no clue what happened with the window, but we decided to just set it aside. We needed to find out if anybody had seen Adam since he had vanished. He had to have gone somewhere. We headed out into the outside.

It was much sunnier and warmer than it was yesterday. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky. I looked at myself in the water nearby. I didn't look too out of the ordinary, having dark brown eyes with hair the same shade, and somewhat a little tall for my age. I was still trying to get over the fact that my family would rather throw me out of their lives than defend their own relative. I threw a stone into the water. It skipped a couple of times. I looked at Mace the ralts. It looked like he was making something float in midair.

"What is that you're holding?" I was curious.

"A dawn stone. When I evolve into a kirlia I can evolve right away into a gallade. It is a custom in my old home that every battle-able boy turn into a gallade when the chance comes."

"I see...wait, old home? Did something happen?" Mace frowned a little, and the dawn stone drooped as much. "Sorry, if it's too much, you don't have to say it."

"My home was peaceful. Even the most savage of ghost-types and dark-types had respect for us. We were a prosperous group. But one night, on my eleventh birthday, something or someone came to the village the day before yesterday."

"What did this person look like?"

"I couldn't see his face, he moved too quickly to get a good read on his face."

"What do you mean?"

"He didn't exactly come to the village peacefully..."

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><p><em><span>Flashback of somewhere in a woods Mace's POV<span>_

"Come on, move it, move it!" It wasn't uncommon for the Gallades to be organizing up into groups, but something about this time didn't seem quite right. For a day that only comes once a year things were pretty gloomy. Everything seemed fine, none of the caves or hollowed trees were part of an accident, and nobody fell ill or died, it was just...depressing, but there was no reason to be so.

"What is it, sir?"

"Something is coming closer to the village. It's giving off a huge amount of dark power, unlike anything we have ever come across before!"

"Are you sure the zoroarks aren't just messing around with us?"

"Zoroarks aren't the source of the sudden feeling of misery that has plagued the whole village in a day! Something is out there, and it is coming closer. Move it, we need a barrier!" I had never seen all the gallades encircle the whole village. Never before have we needed such precautions. What were they talking about? I walked over to take a closer look.

I was an orphan nearly my entire life. My mother died giving birth to me, and my father was caught in a crossfire. Nobody is for sure what sides were fighting, but one kirlia said she saw the legendary Virizion nearby when the incident happened. I was used to death, we all were. The men were fighters, so it was only natural for their life expectancy to be short. The women were also good at fighting, but they only used it for self-defense.

And still the whole day just had a sad feel to it. Apparently there is an outside source causing it. I used my telepathy, a little weak as it was, and over heard the gallades' conversations as I climbed a tree.

**Do you think it's true what some say?**

**What do you mean?**

**What they think is out there, do you believe it could be a-**

**No way! Those things are just myths. They don't actually exist.**

**The strong ones exert sheer amounts of grief on anything around it just with its presence. It only makes sense!**

I wanted to get closer, but I was afraid of whatever they were talking about. It seemed pretty creepy that something that gives off grief just by being there.

**I don't see anything, sir. You sure it will come here?**

**Keep looking, it is still coming closer.**

I decided to look about just for the heck of it, even though an eleven-year-old shouldn't exactly be near something that seems so dangerous. I kept searching in areas above the trees. There was nothing. The gloom I had been feeling all day was growing even stronger. I saw something sitting on a branch a ways away. It was dark gray, almost to the point of black, and looked odd. It resembled a human, but had characteristics of a zoroark. It looked somewhat injured and beat up, and appeared like it was in pain, clenching its head and covering some of the face.

_What is that? _I thought, forgetting I was in the gallades' minds. One of the gallades looked up at the branch I was looking at.

"Above us! It's him!" When the gallade said that, the thing began to smile. This smile was wicked, like he just became utterly insane in a second. He opened his eyes. I couldn't see what the eyes really looked like, the glow of blood red covered them. I jumped a little.

_**Do you fear death? **_His hellish voice echoed in my head. He jumped somewhere out of sight.

"What the? He just vanished!" A gallade said aloud.

"Keep your eyes peeled!" Another commanded. Suddenly on the other side of the village a gallade screamed in pain, like he was being torn apart. Soon there were crashing noises and more screams from the same area. Then the thing reappeared behind a gallade and completely impaled him with one hit in the back. What was this thing?

"Stand your ground! Don't let it into the village!" Another gallade attacked the thing with a Close Combat attack, only to be launched into a tree just by a backhand. Two more charged the thing with Psycho Cuts. The beams just froze in place right before they hit the dark being, turned a shade of red as bloody-looking as his eyes, and went straight back at the two, fatally wounding both. It was one death after another. After all the nearby gallades were defeated, the thing looked at me and gave that wicked smile again. Then he rushed into the village past the dead and dying warriors who were thought of as invincible to those who knew us.

All I could do was run. If our best warriors didn't stand a chance I knew nobody else could. I ran for so long, I lost track of how long. Eventually I collapsed on the ground from running. I knew I had lost him, because the gloomy feeling was gone. But I didn't feel any better, as I began to cry knowing everyone I cared for, everyone I even knew was dead at the hands of that thing. I entered a cave and stayed there for the night, and looked over everything that happened that day.

_All my friends, all my family, everyone I ever knew, dead...what am I going to do with myself..._

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><p><span><em>Back to the present Route 14 Maria's POV<em>

"How does such a thing exist?" I asked.

"I don't know, I've never seen anything like it before." Mace responded, going back to messing with his shiny stone. "If all the best fighters of my village couldn't defeat whatever that was, I don't know what I'm going to do. Who knows where it is?" I saw two people next to us talking to each other. One was about thirty years old. The other looked about fourteen or fifteen. They were both looking at something with frustrated looks on their faces.

"Are you two lost?" I asked. The two were silent for about two seconds, and then the teen spoke.

"We are trying to find Black City. Our map isn't exactly helpful." He folded the map and put it in his pocket. For some reason it didn't look like the maps usually issued to people.

"Just take the path south of here, through the bridges, and see that ace trainer over that hill? Near her is the gate to Black City."

"Thank you." The two left talking to each other.

"Strange..." Mace said.

"What is it, Mace?"

"Those two, their clothes look somewhat like a uniform. I wonder if they are part of a group?" We started walking along the trail.

"...Eh, I bet it's nothing. We should probably get going and head to White Forest."

"Isn't this the path to Black City?" Mace stopped.

"That's the weird thing, they're in the same spot." Mace slowly started walking again, but was confused. "Nobody knows for sure why, but if you think about where you want to go, Black City or White Forest, you'll go there through this gate. So you can go to a gate to White Forest if you wanted to go there, come out wanting to go to Black City, and walk back in to see the skyscrapers of the dark boom town."

"...I think the pressure of your family ditching you is starting to take its toll."

"I'm serious! I'll show you!" We picked up the pace of our walking. Again mace just stopped randomly. "What is it?"

"...I thought I saw a pokemon that isn't normally around here, but I could just be seeing things. Let's keep moving." I decided to carry the little guy to make things quicker.

"What was the pokemon you thought you saw?"

"I don't know, it looked like this small blue colt. But it was only a quick glance."

"Huh...here it is, the gate to White Forest. Still don't believe me?"

"No." I let the little skeptic down and let him walk into the gate. After ten seconds, he walked out, then back in. Ten more seconds later, he came out with a shocked look on his face. "That is freaky and awesome at the exact same time." I laughed at the awe in his eyes. I had never seen such a hilarious and adorable look before. Mace blushed, clearly reading my mind. "Seriously? That's what you think?"

"Oh, come on, it's true! That look was adorable!" Mace blushed even more. After embarrassing him enough, I picked him back up and went into the gate with him. The forest was beautiful. There were very little buildings, none of which were much bigger than a storage unit in Driftveil City. Many wild pokemon were scurrying and playing about. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky, which I didn't notice earlier due to the fog on the route. We walked about and enjoyed the wilderness. We overheard a few conversations over the silent serenity.

"You don't believe me?"

"Why should I believe you? No tree could possibly grow that high! Not even a tree from this forest!"

"When my son plants this seed in a few years, it will grow to be the tallest tree in the entire region! Just you wait! It will be a grand arena for pokemon battles, too!"

"You ate some bad berries, didn't you?" We tried hard not to laugh at the overheard conversation. A violet-haired woman in her late teens came towards us. It was hard reading what she was feeling.

"...Maria?" She asked.

"H-How do you know who I am?" I took a step back.

"I knew your dad's family, and I heard about how they kicked you out. If you want to hear more, come with me." The woman walked off towards what I assumed was her cabin.

**Should we trust her?** Mace was worried. **This doesn't seem like a good idea.**

_Well, White Forest is a pretty safe place, so it's not like anything could happen. And if she knew my dad, she could point us towards Adam. _I thought.

**We don't even know if Adam is alive!**

_Then let's find out!_

**This is a dumb idea...** We set off and followed the woman.

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><p><strong>Randomind: Normally I tried to keep things as logical as possible, but I kind of brainfarted with the end of this one, even with the new edits in.<strong>


	3. Belle

**Randomind: Belle was actually a character that was going to be an extra in the old version of _Search For a Purpose,_ but I decided to scrap her scene due to its irrelevancy. I decided to take that extra and change her into a character of her own, which became Belle.**

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><p><em><span><strong>Chapter Three: Belle<strong>_

_White Forest Maria's POV_

"Are you seriously going to listen to someone we don't even know?" Mace asked, "You have to be kidding!"

"We didn't recognize Cynthia, but we were fine." I began walking towards the cabin. Mace stopped me.

"That doesn't mean you should trust random people right off the bat! Seriously!"

"If she has a clue where Adam is, then we'll be one step closer to finding him."

"...Fine, but if anything bad happens to us, don't blame me!" He grumbled as we headed to the woman's cabin.

The inside of the cabin wasn't all that surprising. It was a small place, clearly meant for one. Aside from the kitchen and television, just about everything else was wood or had wood on it. The violet-haired woman was sitting in a chair holding a picture. I slowly approached her and talked to her. Mace sat on my shoulder.

"How do you know my Dad?" I asked her, being cautious. Mace stayed silent.

"I knew him when I was a friend of Clara's. You see, there are these nomads who travel across the world, almost like on a pilgrimage that doesn't end."

"Yeah, I knew that."

"She was more than just a friend of the nomads. Few realized she was actually one of them. I was about two when she left the group, but her and my family stayed in touch. She was one of the best peacekeepers of the group, and even was very good in arguments, which is probably why she became a lawyer." The woman set down the picture. It was Clara sitting with some other people, including the woman.

"By the way...could I ask your name?"

"Call me Belle."

"Why aren't you with your group?" Mace finally spoke up.

"My group disbanded a few years ago, we don't really know why, it just...did. I decided to stay here in White Forest. This place is always peaceful. There has been little to no trouble here...how did you end up here, and not in Nimbasa?"

"I don't like that city. It reminds me of what happened there."

"Oh..."

"We were searching for Adam in hope that he was still alive."

"Are you sure that he is even alive?"

"Who else are we going to go to? He would be the only family left that would take me in."

Belle looked like she was about to say something, but stopped. She picked up the photo she was just looking at. She looked like she grew a little sad, and then put the picture back. She sighed before speaking again.

"How about this...until we find your cousin, I'll take you in. Things are actually a little lonely around here. Deal?"

This was a tough decision. I wanted to find Adam as fast as I could, but I was always told to be patient. But then again, the same people don't want anything to do with me anymore. I didn't know what to do. I started to zone out to the television playing a music video.

_**I came in like a pokeball!**_

_**I just wanted to catch 'em all!**_

**Maria, focus! **Mace snapped me out of it. I got back to thinking about the situation.

_What do you think we should do?_ I thought, knowing he'd hear it.

**We can't go wandering forever,** Mace told me telepathically,** we need some place to stay.**

_Oh, I get it,_ I thought to him, _first you're skeptical about being near this woman, now you want to live with her. Wow, Mace, just wow..._

**Well, sorry for worrying about our safety!**

_She could lead us to Adam._

"Have you two come to an agreement?" Belle interrupted us. Mace just sighed.

"Deal," He responded.

"Don't worry, Clara was a great woman. If finding Adam means that much to you, I'll help you." I jumped for joy. "...Do you have any idea where he could have gone?"

"Well, many say he ran into the Lostlorn Forest, but that was when the incident happened," I said.

"...Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure there was some recent ruckus going on in the same forest a few weeks ago. It was a side story on the news. Nobody knew what was going on, but the Purifiers were the first to check the place."

"Um, 'Purifiers'?" Mace stood on a chair.

"The Purifiers were the people that killed my aunt and uncle." I clenched my fist. "I can't believe there are entire groups dedicated to anti-pokephiles!"

"They're not all anti-pokephiles." I cocked my head to the side at Belle's response. "My people were close to some Purifiers, most of them are neutral, so they don't know why that specific band went for your aunt and uncle."

I felt dumb for making an assumption like that. Like what some say about assuming, it makes an ass out of you and me. I always loved that pun, but it was there for a reason.

"Should we look there?" I asked.

"We should wait until tomorrow. I know you want to hurry, but we need patience...besides, yesterday seemed...weird. And I don't want to take a chance."

"What do you mean?" Mace asked.

"Yesterday I took a walk on Route 13. The day was a great day for me, but near the evening the day felt...sad. It felt like somebody close had died, but nobody did. I know the signs when I notice them, it won't be safe until tomorrow." Belle looked out the window.

"Why isn't it safe?" I questioned.

"...it's a little complicated. All you need to know right now is that you should wait until tomorrow...in the meantime, Mace, should we see how strong you are?"

"How do you know my name?" Mace shivered. He never introduced himself.

"You're not the only psychic." She laughed. "But do you want to test your skill out?"

"...Okay...I don't know any moves, except growling." Mace spoke up.

"Well, I can change that if you'd like." Belle got up, rummaged through a bag, and pulled out a TM. "I got this back in Kalos. It's called 'Dazzling Gleam'." I giggled at the name. "I know, it's a fairy-type move, but it's something." She tapped the disk onto the ralts' head. After a little static shock, Mace learned the move. "I found this guy in this very forest." Belle sent out a ghastly.

"Hey, Maria?" I looked to him. "Do you mind if I just call my own shots?"

"Go ahead, I'd like to see how you do for a first time."

With both pokemon being new to fighting it didn't take long for the both of them to wear down. It was one hit after another. It wasn't completely exciting, so I won't go into big detail with it. Mace was okay with using Dazzling Gleam over and over again, but I could tell he wanted to get close with a physical hit, despite not knowing any physical move. Eventually the two wore themselves down, but not before trashing the whole house. Everything had taken somewhat damage, whether dented or shattered to pieces. It was pretty fun watching the two, even if it was their first fight. After tending to the two's injuries we both talked a little more, Mace told Belle about his past, and watched some television until just before sunset.

There wasn't much on that was good. All we found was "Opelucid" this and "Beauty of Nimbasa" that. We all got to know each other more and had some fun. White Forest was also a great place to have fun, too. Hide and Seek with the wild pokemon actually turned to be better than I thought. The forest here was a great place, where wild pokemon lived in harmony with humans, even without them being partners. Mace and I rested on a tree to look at the night stars.

"This is such a great place." Mace sighed a sigh of relaxation. "I wish everywhere was like this."

"Yeah..." I grew a little sad. I began to worry about my cousin, Adam. What if he really was dead? What if it was just a waste to go out and find him. Nobody has seen him in years. So how am I supposed to find him?

"We shouldn't worry about that, Maria." Mace read my mind again. "Like Belle said, we should take this task nice and slowly. Rushing would be a bad idea."

"Even at that, Mace, what would we do even if we found him? It's not like everything would just become simple. Do you know what it's like to not know what you want to do with your life?"

"...You know, I guess I never really put much thought into it. Life in the village was so simple, I guess I never really took the time to think about that. No, no I don't know what that's like. I always wanted to grow up to be a great fighter. My life was based around that, so it was really crushing knowing that the best fighters I knew were mutilated by one entity. I don't even know what it is.

"Where was your old home?"

"Just near Anville Town. When I walked a long way, I meant it."

"That's amazing. Moving that far for that long? That is really amazing...how strong were your warriors?"

"One of the weakest ones was hit by Phantom Force from a golurk and shrugged it off like it was nothing! Multiple times! It shocked everyone! Could you imagine it..." His mood drooped back to being gloomy. "And to think, such strength was ineffective to save my village..."

"Don't be sad," I patted his back. "I'm sure we will find our way."

"...Am I crazy, or is that what I think it is?"

"What is it?"

"Up in the sky. I see a pattern, like the shape of a pentagon!" I stood up and looked up in the stars.

"I don't see it..."

"Imagine the top left corner is gone." I thought of what it would look like and saw it. It was the shape of a star with the corners made of stars, without the top left corner. The top star was dark yellow, the one in the top right corner was pale green, another in the bottom left a cobalt blue, which left the bottom right corner with the last star being pure white.

"...That is really weird...those can't be normal stars."

"Maybe some of them are planets."

"But it can't be a coincidence that those four things in the sky are the exact same size and, if you added one more, would make a perfect shape in the sky." I was going to say more, but I felt this feeling gnawing at the back of my head. That was figurative, of course, but I felt weird, like someone I knew just...

"We should get inside quickly!" Mace yanked on my arm. We started speed-walking back to Belle's house.

"What's the matter with you?" Mace looked freaked like he just saw a buneary get ripped apart right in front of him. Don't ask me why I thought that.

"That gloomy feeling from the other day. The last time I felt it, all my loved ones died! Hurry!" In about what felt like ten minutes but was really one minute we made it to the front door. As I walked in I looked back at the odd stars. It was just plain weird seeing stars like those. I turned my head and saw something sitting in a tree branch. The sight of it scared me so much I immediately slammed the door shut.

"What the hell happened? You look like you just got away from Jeff the Killer." Belle had a concerned tone. I was hyperventilating and I didn't know why.

"Did you see something?" Mace asked. I calmed myself down as much as I could.

"I saw something up in one of the trees. It looked somewhat like a man, but...different. I couldn't see much, but his eyes glowed." Belle looked out the window. She immediately pulled all the blinds down and shoved the table in front of the door. "What is it?"

"Did you also feel like you were under grief, even without reason?"

"Yeah," Mace answered for me. Belle barricaded everything even further.

"Nobody leaves until sunrise! As long as that thing is out there, I won't take a chance!"

"What thing?" I asked. Belle stood silent for a couple seconds.

"...Mace," Mace turned to Belle. "The thing that destroyed your village is one of many entities that would be considered demonic. It is extremely dangerous to be near one. The important thing is we don't let anything in until sunrise, no matter what makes us want to go so far as to crack a window, understand?"

"Y-Yes." Mace shivered. So did I. That thing wiped out an entire village by itself without a scratch, and now it was waiting us out.

"As long as we don't touch a window or a door we should be okay, right?" I asked.

"Right. So with the place barricaded, we should be okay. Let's try to get some sleep." Belle folded out the couch into a bed for Mace and I to sleep in. As we got ready to go to sleep I still couldn't help but think about Adam.

_What if we never find him? What if doing this is a waste? What will I do?_

**Don't worry,** Mace said through telepathy, **I'm sure we'll be okay.** After saying our good-nights we fell asleep.

* * *

><p><span><em>Purifier Base Unknown POV<em>

"I'm impressed with him," I said to a grunt.

"Curtis? I say our trainers are just having a bad day." I watched a twelve-year-old boy take down two soldiers in sparring. The boy had blond hair and blue eyes.

"Those soldiers? You know those are elites, not something to mess with, very tenacious and unhesitating. He took two of them down, and you say it's because of the soldiers? In a couple more years he could be a great hunter."

"Or he could be the next front news line like that other kid caused eight years ago."

"It was not because of the kid! It was because a commander decided to take matters into his own hands! John and Clara died with extreme prejudice, and because of that, we have a bad name! I will never allow such rogue-like behavior ever again!" The grunt scooted back a little when I said that with a strong tone.

"We could just tell the public the truth behind the attack. They'd understand."

"They would not listen. Even if they did, there would be panic. The public can't handle the truth...In fact, we should keep most of our operations as unnoticeable as possible. It's for the better. Besides, there's already enough trouble back home. And if I don't hurry back quickly enough, there will be chaos."

"Understood, Boss...How's that kid in the coma?"

"He is still not expected to wake up for years. Don't count on him for a long time. For now let's look at this young prodigy here. Once he grows up a little more, he'll be ready to be a hunter."

"Are you sure it's okay to allow a kid in the field? Even if he's sent at thirteen years, that's still young."

"This is the life he chose, so we'll give him that life...besides, nobody local is going to notice, since they let their kids travel by themselves at ten years."

"That is true. What was this boy's name? The one practicing?"

"His name is Curtis. I actually feel sorry for the kid. Everyone he ever loved, hell, everyone he ever knew before being a Purifier is dead."

"Total war is a bitch, huh?"

"That it is, private. That it is. I want to make sure Curtis feels welcome throughout his training, we can't let the past haunt us."

"Question, Boss."

"Speak."

"It's about your daughter. Do you think she's ready for her duty?"

"...No. Not yet. I know it's been so long, but something like that is not for her yet. Go to the searching posts and report to me any sightings." The grunt ran off.

* * *

><p><strong>Randomind: Curtis' debut was in this story, and this chapter. However, this was made before the new version of its predecessor. The new version had Curtis as a cameo. His personality is a mix of multiple inspirations, but it's hard to narrow the sources down.<strong>


	4. A Misfit And A Monster

**Randomind: The idea of Maria and Mace was actually a mirror of the ten-year-old Adam and Ruby from the old version of their story. This mirror was different, though, as the innocence of Maria and Mace quickly fades from a certain point on, whereas Adam and Ruby's growth was slow before the new version skipped those years entirely.**

* * *

><p><strong><em><span>Chapter Four: A Misfit And A Monster<span>_**

_Purifier Base Curtis' POV_

I sat alone by myself in my quarters. I enjoyed the silence. It gave me a good sense of peace. Not a sound was made when I was in here by myself. It was the only time I could truly have alone. I wasn't like the others. I could take down people much bigger and much stronger than me. Where I was from, I was the best of the best. My strong spirit and skill was what got the Boss' attention. With interest in me, he asked if I wanted to join their ranks. I gladly accepted. But the majority of the other guys didn't exactly give me a warm welcome, as I was the only one that wasn't in their late twenties or older. Somehow the Boss is over sixty years old and still looks like he's thirty-three. Even our tech can't do that, so how was he doing it?

Back to the subject, few people knew what our syndicate is really meant for, and we shut up those who did know. The Boss says the public can't handle the truth about our cause. I agree completely. The first class, the most widely known, used pokemon as a means of fighting because they lacked the heart and skill of the upper ranks. I am a second class, a blend between the first and third classes. I don't use pokemon, as I prefer taking combat matters in my own hands. Most second class men use pokemon, but are very well capable of holding their own by themselves. The elite third class doesn't use pokemon, and rarely see action. They fight using special technology we adopted. It's an ancient technology, but if an ordinary person saw it, they'd think we were from the future. The third class are some of the best skilled people in our group. But the best are the Boss' guardians, the Feared Four.

Nobody questioned the abilities of these guys, as they have abilities that only a privileged few could ever hope to obtain. There were originally five of them, but one of them went rogue and was executed because of it. Their abilities work in unison with weapons specialized for them. They have plowed over everyone dumb enough to challenge them.

But others aside, many dis me for where I'm from. My home was destroyed in a nuclear war. Having nothing left for me at home, I stayed with the Purifiers after my time on my home world had expired. I don't see why the others don't like me for where I was born, I had nothing to do with the shitty calls my government made. But they still don't care. Hopefully they'll get over the fact that someone like me is just as capable as them in fighting. One of the Feared Four entered my quarters.

"How come you're not at lunch, Curtis?" The guard asked.

"I'm not hungry, Eric," I sighed, "I also needed time to think to myself."

"The others are still bugging you? Don't worry. They're only jealous. You have a natural talent for fighting, I even heard the Boss point it out when you took down those two third-classes. It actually makes me wonder why he hasn't promoted you."

"Promotion to third class is a big deal. I bet he's just playing it safe until he's certain I'm ready."

"You haven't even hit your growth spurt and you still can hold your own against two of them. I don't see why he'd think you're not ready."

"Well, you can't be too careful."

"...Well, actually, you can...it sucks. But the worst is when you're both too careful and too careless."

"Is that even possible?"

"Remember the accuracy test? The first time I took it, I was too careful with trying for a perfect score that I forgot about the time limit. I ended up having to take the test over again. It was really embarrassing, to be frank." I snickered a little bit, feeling guilty in the process. "Yeah, everyone had a kick out of that. The other three remember that day like it was just yesterday. Don't worry, Curtis. The worst of it will be over soon." Eric got up to leave.

"Um, Eric?" He turned back.

"Yes, Curtis?"

"I'm just curious...what did you think of the attack on that one family eight years ago?"

"...Before it actually happened, I had no idea that he would even try that. But when Derek put his personal beliefs forward, things got ugly. My opinion...what he did was downright murder. The fact they were burned to death makes it unforgivable. Derek deserved what he got."

"Well, at least it's good to know I'm not alone."

"That's been bothering you, too?"

"It's such a big controversy. I mean, I get that not everyone would be comfortable in the fact that there are human-pokemon pairings, but to think someone would go so far as to...it just makes me sick to my stomach."

"I agree...but let's not focus on the past. We need to be in the present." He left.

_I know_, I thought, _...but it still bothers me to know that people are so strongly against it..._

I began to have flash backs of when I was little. I had always loved to play rough, but I never fought dirty. Eventually I fought in tournaments, where the Boss saw my skill. However, when the Armageddon struck, it shook me to the core. It took a long time for me to overcome the grief of all my loved ones being gone forever.

I heard talking from the vent in the ceiling. I crawled up the bunk bed and put my ear to the vent to eavesdrop.

"I don't mean to give you the wrong idea, Boss. I'm just curious...why not him?"

"Oh, there's nothing wrong with curiosity, Eric, you didn't give me any wrong idea. As for Curtis, his skill and power are extraordinary for someone like him. But that alone doesn't make a third-class, let alone a guardian, like you were wondering."

_Did he just say "guardian,"_ I thought. I continued to listen.

"He's brave enough. He passes, even exceeds, all of the requirements. So why hold him back?"

"Heart."

"What's the difference?"

"Bravery is just overcoming fear. Heart is dedication, persistence, and ability to act without hesitation. Whereas he excels in fighting and strategy, he often can't apply himself to the fullest. If he was thrown into our simulator and was put into a hostage rescue simulation, he'd hesitate to pull the trigger, given the chance, if the hostage was at risk. If you don't believe me, you can watch the testing unfold."

"...I see, Boss. I apologize for questioning your decision."

"Don't be, Eric. At least you were honest with your concern. But once he can prove that he has enough balance of heart and skill, I'll consider it. You are dismissed." I heard footsteps, which likely meant that he left. I heard another set if stepsenter the room.

"Boss, I have the report."

"Yes, Helena?"

"Demand has grown by about three percent. All the foundations have a steady flow of resources."

"Good. I was beginning to worry about that...what about the kid in the coma?"

_What?! _I had tons of questions ready. Was there someone I knew that was in a coma?

"Signs haven't improved. We're still trying to figure out the problem."

"...Well, hopefully we'll find out soon enough."

"Um, Boss? I'm curious about that young boy, Curtis. What do you think will be his first field mission?"

"That will depend, Helena."

"Depend on what, Boss?"

"His testing. It's near, and I'll be watching him carefully."

I sat down and began to think about what I had heard. If an ally was in danger, could I really risk it? I decided to think more after lunch. I was getting hungry after all.

* * *

><p><span><em>Village Bridge Mace's POV<em>

"This is quite a good view for a small bridge." Maria and I were sitting on the railing of the Village Bridge. It was a pretty view, seeing all the wingulls in the air and rufflets on the ground.

"...Why did we stop here?" I hopped off the rails, being careful not to drop my shiny stone. "I'm just wondering."

"Well, we need to make some money if we're going to stay with Belle. So we went out looking for an open job." We walked off the bridge and saw a trailer next to a bunch of tables. Sandwiches were being served. A woman who we supposed worked as the head chef walked up to us.

"Oh! Are you two hungry?"

"Actually, we were looking for a place to work." Maria said.

"We have some spots open, we'd be glad to hire you two...do you know much in the kitchen?"

"I do," She spoke up, "...do you, Mace?"

"No, but do you have an open place for a waiter? I could be a waiter."

"Certainly. If you're doubtful, we have a proud policy for safety. We haven't had a single accident since the-"

**"Oh, Arceus!"** Someone shouted in the trailer, **"I just chopped off my fucking finger! SHIT! You only get ten of those! Fuck, I'm a dumb-ass!"** The chef face-palmed herself in humiliation.

"...Since right now...but before now we had a long accident-free streak. What do you say?"

"Mace, what do you think?"

"I think this would be a good place to work."

"Then we're all in."

We took a long shift. It was easy getting used to cutting meat and juicing berries. Mace took advantage of his psychic abilities to mass deliver the food to people. It was actually kind of fun working there. We took our day's pay and began to head back to White Forest before it could get to dark. The funny thing was, though, we didn't seem to remember our way back, which was strange, since Maria knew the routes up and down.

"What happened? I don't remember this part of the route." Maria began to shiver from the cold.

"I had no idea it got this cold at night. It always seemed warmer to me than it does now." It was completely dark by now, the only light coming from the moon. Some of the trees seemed crooked, and leaves were falling off of them, despite it being the middle of summer. The shapes of some plants and stones were pretty creepy, almost looking like demented pokemon.

"Oh, thanks for the mental image," Maria said sarcastically. I must have gave her a thought on accident. We still went through the unknown area, being careful not to bring any attention to ourselves. We jumped after hearing a mightyena howled off in the distance. Realizing it was far away, we just kept moving. The both of us kept quiet, hoping nothing would come. "...Hey, Mace," She whispered to me.

"Yes, Maria?"

"I feel different, depressed even. I kind of feel like someone close just died in front of me."

"Yeah, so do I..." I froze in place when I saw what was ahead.

"What's wrong, Mace?" I shivered with fear at the sitting shadow in front of me.

"I-It-It-It's him..." Maria looked forward and saw what I saw. The figure looked no different from the other day. Glowing eyes, dark grayish skin, and wicked smile were all there. Now that I saw him. _Are crosses or pokemorphs supposed to be in between?_ I asked through telepathy.

**No,** she responded in her head, **it's one or the other. What is that thing?!** The thing stood up from the rock it was sitting on. The smile grew even wider, with this glowing red stream of something flowing to his arm.

"Who are you?!" I asked, trying not to do anything sudden. He only responded with a chuckle. "Answer!" I shouted with an obvious feeling of fear.

_**"You are afraid..."**_ The thing responded in a demonic voice, _**"...Good..."**_ The feeling of gloom intensified. It almost literally felt like something was pushing on my chest. I fell to a knee, almost tripping. The thing approached me.

"What are you going to do to him?!" Maria panicked. The smile on the thing grew even wider, stretching almost to the edges of his face.

_**"...Do you fear death?"**_ The thing asked Maria.

"Shut up!" I yelled. The thing turned back to me, removing his smile.

**"Do you not fear death?"** The thing picked me up and lifted me high.

"I'll take my chances! I will die a warrior if I have to!" The thing smiled again, and in its free arm was accumulating that red glowing something again. Right as he was about to hit me with his fist, something knocked him off balance, causing him to fall. I broke loose and ran back to Maria. As the thing ran off, spheres of the same energy, but violet, were being flung at him. Belle emerged into view. She looked at us with a less-than-joyous expression.

"I told you these places get dangerous at night! What do you not get about that?!"

"We took a wrong turn and got lost." I said.

"Do you know what that thing is?" Maria asked. Belle stayed silent. "Please, if there is something you know, please say it!"

"I promised I wouldn't say anything...but you should at least know what you're dealing with. Let's come back to my place. Then I'll talk." We followed her back to White Forest. I guess she knew a shortcut due to her time as a nomad. After we got inside we had a quick drink and she explained what it was.

"What made my old nomadic so special was their ability to use the essence of their soul as power."

"Really? Is that safe, even for a group like yours?" Maria asked in shock.

"For my group, yes...most of the time. You see, everyone has this other side to them, that side always tempting you to do bad things. Through this capability of the soul they said side can take power if their mind isn't strong enough. That thing you saw out there was likely a victim of failing the mental test."

"Could this happen to anyone?" I panicked a little. For a pokemon born in a warriors' village I sure panicked quite a bit.

"You guys are safe, since you don't have that power. Even more frightening, though, is that this demonic side has its own essence. So if it takes control, it will mix the essence with the soul power to become even more powerful than the original personality." We began to shiver like we were being told a horror story.

"What do they look like? They can't all look like the one we saw." Maria said.

"They don't. Usually they look like normal people, save the black eyes and glowing red pupils. But that one person...something about him stands out from the others. Maybe it's him..."

"Who?" I wondered.

"...Nothing. Just be careful and avoid them at all costs, okay? It's for your own good."

"Okay..." Maria sighed. "Do you guys want to try another battle?"

"Sure!" I boomed. "A little practice will help." Belle sent out her ghastly and we faced off for a little fun.

* * *

><p><strong>Randomind: As implied in this chapter, I have a natural talent for making horror scenes. (that was sarcasm). Some writers like to put themselves in their own stories for serious, or comical effect. I put myself in as a punch line (the guy who now only has nine fingers). This chapter was also the first one that implied that the Purifiers did more than just hunt demons, as Helena explains progress in mining operations to her Boss.<strong>


	5. A Machine And Mister Onyx

**Randomind: The modded TMs were something I put in to paint the Purifiers in a suspicious spotlight, but I decided in later chapters that it didn't really add anything. It may have an effect in one of the much later chapters, but not a big one.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><em><span><strong>Chapter Five: A Machine and Mister Onyx<strong>_

_White Forest Maria's POV_

I couldn't stop thinking about what happened last night. That thing in the forest may have once been a human taken over from the inside. I sat under the shade of a tree while Mace, at a different tree, munched on a berry. He didn't seem to mind that he almost got torn apart back there so quickly.

I tried to clear things up by taking in the moment. The air smelled fresh, birds and bird pokemon were singing. I decided to take a berry for myself and ate it. It helped a little, but I was still worried about that thing.

_He seems so familiar_, I thought, _But why?_

"Thinking about last night?" Belle walked up to me and sat down,

"How did you know? Did you use your psychic abilities?"

"It doesn't take a psychic to know that something's wrong. Are you thinking about yesterday?"

"Yes," I sighed.

"You are lucky to be alive. It surprises me, though, that he'd be out in the open like that."

"Out on an unknown path that most people wouldn't dare go to is in the open?"

"Those things are demonic, but they're not stupid. Normally they'd attack the first chance they got to avoid escapes."

"How do you know so much about those things?"

"Two groups. My old nomad group and the Purifiers. The things are common knowledge in my nomadic group. But the Purifiers...they know quite a bit."

"They've seen those before?"

"...I was told not to say it, but their group was meant for hunting those things. Only one person was better at hunting those than the Purifiers, but he's not alive anymore."

"Wait. If the Purifiers are meant for hunting those demons, why would they go for my cousin?"

"I don't really understand either. Maybe we can find some clues when we go to Lostlorn Forest."

"When will we go there? I'm just curious."

"I'd say we'd be good to travel by next week."

"I see..."

"Don't worry, Maria. We'll find out what happened to your cousin. I'm sure of it."

"..."

"Okay, what else is it?"

"It makes me really stressed that I don't even know if he's still alive. Who knows where he could be by now?"

"I know you're worried about him, but you need to have faith until you know for sure."

I looked up at the sky. Tranquills were in the air, nidoran were playing in the trees, the peace of this place always seemed so relaxing. After looking up at the sky I noticed something from the other day.

"Hey, Belle, do you see those four stars in the sky. You can barely see them, but if there was another one, they'd form a pattern." Belle tried to look up at the sky without hurting her eyes.

"Yeah...how can they shine like that? None of the other stars show up in the morning."

"What about the sun?" I asked jokingly. Belle looked at me.

"Smart aleck." I grinned. That little joke made me feel a little better. Mace walked up to us wiping his hands on a few leaves.

"You two okay?" Mace asked.

"We're fine. Just talking about last night." I replied. "How were you not fazed?"

"I was terrified, but I try not to show it. You can't let an enemy think you're scared, they'll feed on that."

"Well, you do a good job...where's your dawn stone?" I wondered.

"In the cabin. Don't worry about it. I've practiced a little with the wild pokemon. Soon I may evolve." It looked like he was hiding something behind his back.

"What are you hiding?" I asked. He pulled out an old piece of paper sheepishly. Judging by the markings, it was some kind of plan for a machine. "How and where did you get that?"

"I found it on the ground."

"You're lying." Belle said. Mace's head drooped. "How did you really find it?"

* * *

><p><span><em>Flashback of Somewhere on Route 15 Mace's POV<em>

I was taking a little stroll in the middle of the night. It didn't take much to sneak out of the house. All it took was Telekinesis to stay in the air, not making a sound. I knew that later it was going to bite me in the back, but I needed to find something out. What was that thing back there?

I eventually noticed two people sitting next to a campfire. I took a closer look. I hid behind a duffel bag relatively closer to them. From their clothes I could tell they were of a group.

_Probably the Purifiers,_ I thought.

"It's kind of ironic, huh?" one of them asked.

"What's ironic?"

"That Helena has pranked almost every single guy in the faction, but now wants the whole thing to die down."

"I think it's more ironic you are the champion at chess, but you have no legitimate coordination during the simulations."

"...Don't you think it's actually kind of sad?"

"What?"

"Don't you think it's sad that we have to keep this job a secret from our friends, even our families? I heard some had to fake their deaths when they joined so their relatives wouldn't be suspicious."

"...Yeah, it actually is kind of sad. But I think the worst is the cruelty from the public. Why the hell did Derek make such a shitty call to make the people so angry?! Had it not been for him, we would probably have the public's support right now!"

"Quiet down. People are trying to sleep right now."

"It's bad enough we have to deal with those demonic monsters out there. I bet there isn't one person that doesn't have that side to them."

"...Maybe there is..."

"No way, that guy? How could he not have that side? It's not like it could break off and become its own being."

"Yeah, you're right, but it still doesn't explain why the Boss would keep him alive."

"Well, we'll find out sooner or later...To change the subject, what do you think of the young one that survived total war?"

"Don't get me wrong, I think he has a natural talent I haven't seen before. But I don't think he'll pass the tests, especially the risk test."

My attention turned away from the two when I felt something touch my hand. I picked it up to see a TM. A label on it read, "Curse."

_Is there even a real TM for that?_ I thought to myself. I tapped it on my head, with knowledge of the move flowing to me. I tried out the move. It worked like a charm. _How is that...what else is in there?_ It seemed wrong to poke through other people's belongings, but curiosity got the best of me. There were so many TMs inside the bag, each containing moves that aren't normally in TM form, such as Guillotine, Draco Meteor, even Transform. I looked at a sheet of paper with some markings on it. It seemed kind of like a large DVD player with a keyboard and miniature screen attached to it. _What would something like this possibly do?_ I began to look at the duffel bag full of TMs. _Are they...making TMs? Why?_

Then it hit me, or it just could have been a pebble falling from the cliff, but I realized what they were doing. If I could learn a move that didn't exist in a TM from a TM, I could learn just about any move that could be programmed into these things. Imagine pokemon with that kind of power. I took the paper and ran with it, hoping that I wouldn't be noticed.

* * *

><p><span><em>Back to the Present Belle's POV<em>

"So you're saying that the machine these plans belong to makes TMs for any move?" I asked. "Even for the ones that don't exist as TMs?"

"It's likely. I mean, don't the machines they use to make real TMs look like this?" Mace said.

"Why would someone use a machine like this?" Maria stood up and leaned on the tree.

"Whoever uses this machine could teach any pokemon any move they wanted. This could be dangerous," I responded.

"The people I saw looked like they were part of a group. They were probably Purifiers," Mace continued, "Do you think they could be exploiting this to gain power?"

"Whereas I bet they're the ones using it," I spoke up, "I doubt that they're trying to just gain power from it. Like I said before, most of them were known to be reputable...most."

I noticed a man walking over to us. He looked about thirty-three years old, had black hair, green eyes, a five-o-clock shadow, and wore a pure white business suit.

"Hello, Belle," he said as he walked up to us.

"Oh! Mister Onyx. How are you?" I asked.

"Nothing too out of the ordinary." he turned over to Maria and Mace. "Are these relatives of yours?"

"No," I giggled a little, "these are just some friends I met on their journey. This is Maria and Mace."

"Nice to meet you two." He held out his hand to Maria. She hesitated for about a second, but then shook it. Mace did the same.

"Mister Onyx here runs quite a few businesses in the region." I looked to him. "You even rival Silph, don't you?"

"If they ran in Unova, then I would. But they work mainly in Kanto. I actually wouldn't mind a little competition from them...hey, Belle, may I talk to you in private for a second? It won't take long."

"...Okay..."

* * *

><p><em><span>Maria's POV<span>_

The two of us watched Belle and Mister Onyx walk away to talk.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Mace asked me.

"Can't you use your telepathy to eavesdrop on them?" I questioned.

"Belle's a psychic, so she'd know if I was spying. And I'm not going to risk snooping in a mind I don't know."

"...I don't trust that guy."

"Finally you don't trust someone you just met." Mace clapped sarcastically.

"Quiet, or I'll smear a rotten oran berry on your head."

"He seems like a reputable guy, though. It seems Belle trusts him. It still makes me wonder how they know each other." Judging by the look on Belle's face, something was concerning her. It didn't seem like a sad thing, though. In the corner of my eye I noticed an audino overhearing us.

"Hey, Audino," when I called to her, she stepped away. "Don't be shy, we just want a favor." The pokemon walked slowly to us. "See those two talking? Could you listen on them for us?"

"Maria, what are you doing?" Mace asked.

"Mace, could you relay what she hears with your telepathy?"

"...Fine, but if we get caught, you take the blame, okay?"

"Don't worry. Ready?" They both nodded. I began to hear what the two were saying.

**"I doubt that could ever happen," **Belle said to the man.

**"It has happened once, Belle. It is possible it could happen again," **the man replied.

**"I'll believe it when I see it. I bet it was just an illusion."**

_What is an audino doing in White Forest anyway?_ I wondered_, Did it come from Route 14?_

**"It's not safe here. Jenny is baffled, people are beginning to panic, my men, who are normally prepared for the worst of these things, are being killed left and right, and it won't be long before Alder decides to put the entire region on lockdown."**

**"...I made a promise, and I intend to keep it. I'm not going to believe such a thing could exist on its own until I see proof."**

**"Very well. Just make sure you stay safe." **Belle was about to leave when she was stopped.

**"Yes, Mister Onyx?"**

**"Recent test came in about triggers. The test isn't the only thing that triggers the process."**

**"What?!"**

**"An extreme concentration of grief at a given moment can just as easily cause the takeover. Make sure you and nomads you still know are alive get that message."**

**"...Okay. Thank you for telling me all this."**

**"Don't mention it. It's important you know this."**

**"Now if you'll excuse me, I have a couple eavesdroppers to deal with."**

_Crap! _I thought, _she knew we were spying! _Belle walked up to us with a face that wasn't exactly happy. The audino ran off.

"Did your parents ever tell you not to eavesdrop?!" She huffed.

"Sorry..." We both said sheepishly.

"It's bad enough shit is happening all over the region. I don't want people involved in it.

"What was it that you didn't believe?" I wasn't expecting her to answer the question, but it was worth a shot.

"...He tried to make me believe that there was one of those demons out there with a body and soul of its own. There is no way that's possible. Nobody alive today could possibly have a strong enough soul to separate themselves from their demonic side."

"Are you saying there once was someone who could?" I questioned.

"There could have been, but it's just an old myth. I doubt the person really existed."

"Oh..."

* * *

><p><em><span>Unknown Place Unknown POV<span>_

I feel nothing but regret and sorrow. I was so blind for so long, I feel like an absolute idiot for not waking up from my stupid anger. All I can see around me is void. There is nothing else in here but me.

Constant generation after constant generation I strove to take back what was mine. I had no regard for the concequemces it would have brought in my struggles. Looking back I should have tried to atone in another way. Each death at my hand was another of my countless sins. But the worst was when I realized it all would have been a waste anyway.

I'm not sure how long it will take for me to find a way out of this void, but I must hurry. Everything depends on it...


	6. Demon Against Demon

_**Chapter Six: Demon Against Demon**_

_Somewhere Outside Unova Unknown POV_

Things have been awfully quiet lately. Our kind rarely gathered together in the forest clearings outside the region, but when we did there was little to no such thing as silence. We would talk and hang around like normal people would. Of course, not many find a demon to be the norm.

We posses those we were born with when they have the ability to use their souls for power. It is almost rare when a demon is successful in taking control. If they lose, they are sealed away forever. If they succeed, they take over, hunting the souls of the norm for even more power.

I didn't understand why these people were so quiet on this occasion. It's not like the Purifiers attacked us, they'd talk about that. Our strongest member is still in the cold realm, because they'd celebrate if he was out. It just didn't make sense.

"Okay, why is everyone so quiet?" They all looked at me like I had vanished for a decade. "Seriously, what is going on? None of you have said anything since we got here." Everyone was hesitating to speak until one person finally spoke.

"Did you hear, Ben? There's a new guy."

"So? What makes him so different that all of you are silent? How old is he?"

"Some say he's about fourteen or fifteen."

"So what, that's just as old as me." The ages of our people varied, but mainly they were adults. I was the youngest, yet best, of our kind, save our friend in the cold realm. "...Wait, 'some say?' You mean nobody has asked him in person?"

"The kid is ruthless and violent."

"...Did you hear other people talking about this? Because I'm pretty sure they describe us all like that." I went to eat a berry from a tree.

"Not to our own kind!" I stopped right when I heard that.

"He's violent...against us?"

"Yes, not one of us has met him personally and lived to tell about it."

"You're kidding, right? No demon has ever tried to kill a demon."

"We're not even sure what kind of...thing he is."

"What do you mean?"

"He looks humanoid, but his skin is cracked and dark grey, his speed outmatching that of ours, he fights more viciously than the rest of us. He barely speaks, with his ferocity doing the talking."

"...Are you guys actually afraid?!"

"Why shouldn't we? Nobody has laid so much as a scratch on him."

"Nobody has ever laid a mark on me...except for 'him,' that is."

"Well, if you plan to somehow kill that kid, you're gonna have a tough time."

"Has he ever assaulted us without being provoked?"

"No, but he is extremely territorial. If he sees you in his area, he'll go for you."

"Where is he?"

"Go north of Route 11. Above the waterfall is where he lives."

"How am I supposed to get up there? I can't use a pokemon, and I can't exactly teleport."

"There's a little path through the trees that slowly leads up the cliff. I saw a little girl and a ralts go through that same path."

"And you didn't kill them?"

"I am not going near that kid-thing, no way in hell!"

"Cowards." I began to leave to find and destroy this pest everyone was afraid of. I noticed about five or six were following me. "I don't need help."

"We won't," one spoke, "but we want to see how this turns out." I just rolled my eyes and kept walking. The thought of a kid just as old as me leaving no demon alive did concern me. I shrugged it off and just kept going.

* * *

><p><em><span>Purifier Base 'Boss' POV<span>_

"Still wondering about the Wanderer?" Matthew asked. I looked back at the Feared Four. They were all enjoying lunch, one of few breaks they ever got. Matthew had black hair and dark green eyes that contrasted his bright red uniform.

"What? 'Wanderer?' how did you come up with that nickname for Curtis?" I didn't exactly get their joke.

"Well, he's the only Purifier still not permanently assigned to one of our groups." Helena took a bite of her sandwich. She had blond hair and light blue eyes that matched the tint and color of her uniform.

"Ah, that's right..." Curtis used to be part of Derek's shadow squad. But when he was executed, his team was dissolved into the others'. I'm just thankful that little kid didn't actually go on that mission.

"Do you think he'll pass them both?" Eric asked. His orange uniform was dark, unlike his brown eyes and red hair.

"Both the test and the exercise?" I remembered that right before the ranking test was a training exercise. Every other month we would run a training exercise in which we would select a few Purifiers to participate.

It went like this: One would simulate damage to an area of the base. The others chosen were to find out who did it. Obviously there were rules on said destruction to the areas.

First, it had to be possible to clean without total frustration. The second thing was that you could not hurt anyone in the process. Third, you could not mess with computers or databases, or anything electronic to the point of actually damaging anything important.

Lastly, the damage is allowed to be somewhat realistic, but not so much as to cause a panic. You were allowed to help find the "culprit" even if you weren't chosen as a detective, but you didn't have to.

It seems like something simple and easy, but the soldiers really know how to cover their tracks despite their limitations by the rules.

"Do you think that Curtis might be a good 'culprit' for this month?" Helena asked.

"No, too predictable. Everyone would be on him," Matthew explained.

"I think we should focus on the ranking tests." Eric took another bite.

"Still thinking about that?" I asked. "It's not like you to obsess over one person."

"Not every Purifier can take down two third ranks gaining up on them faster than I can." Eric replied.

"What I don't get is the mass groupings l have been finding lately." Ryan ate a taco. His dark green uniform matched his darker blue-green eyes. His black hair was greasy, but that was probably from when Curtis spilled a bottle of oil yesterday. A little washing will take care of that.

"What mass groupings?" I looked at him.

"I have noticed that many of those demons, about two hundred, have gathered around the area near Route 11, but not on the actual path. They are surrounding a patch of land that is above the fall there. For some reason, most won't go there...at least that's what my troop told me."

"Most?" Helena stopped eating. "What happened to the ones that went in?"

"We don't know. Whatever is going on, we can't get close enough without being detected."

"Is there anyone we can send in?" Matthew asked.

"...I'll go," I said.

"B-But, Boss," Helena stuttered, "If something were to happen to you-"

"Like Ryan said, this isn't normal. We need to know what is happening over there. It could be important."

"You're not going alone," Eric said.

"We're coming with you." Helena stood up.

"Matthew and I will stay to watch over the base." Ryan walked over to the window. "Someone needs to make sure the place stays intact."

"Very well, Let's move!" Helena, Eric and I ran to the teleporter for quick transport.

* * *

><p><em><span>Meanwhile North of Route 11 Ben's POV<span>_

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" One of the demons asked me. "Nobody has ever entered that area and has come out alive."

"Not to worry, George, I'll be fine. Remember I am the runner-up out of all demons in existence." We had tracked down that rogue demon and found it inside a massive cave...to be honest we just spied on some Purifiers to find out what the cave was like. The caves had overlapping levels that had very wide gaps that were about ten feet wide. If they wanted to, people could leap up to each level, given they had superhuman strength.

"What if Purifiers come near? You know they're gonna be on our asses." George was nervous, as was every other demon making a barrier around the entrance.

"...Don't fight unless they attack first. Tell the others. We want the least amount of fighting as possible until this thing is taken down. If you have to, explain the situation to them." George looked at me like I was dropped as a kid.

"...Are you okay, Ben? This isn't like you."

"If what the others say is true, I want as little trouble as can be, even if it means that."

"...Okay." George ran to spread the word. He had a concerned look on his face. I turned over to the mouth of the cave and a feeling of uneasiness flowed through me. I got my authority over _most_ of the demons through respect and fighting. This thing has, at the very least, intimidated _every_ one of us, including me. Those stories about how he stood up to five and held his own, the stories about how he is almost as fast as an accelgor, yet wields sheer ferocity and brute force, how he can manipulate fears to cripple the enemy. They were all getting to me as soon as I realized the stories were very much like "his."

_Come on, Ben,_ I thought to myself, _you can do this. It's not like it's "him," it's just another demon, no different from the others._ The cave was surprisingly well-lit. There were bright lights hanging from the top, meaning this place must have been only recently done in. The gaps mentioned earlier were almost perfectly circular, but slightly oval-shaped. I could tell this demon was strong. There was a feeling of sadness and grief in the air, despite no reason for such feelings.

I stopped dead in my tracks as soon as I saw what I assumed to be the kid staring at a pattern on the cave wall. He turned around, noticing me, showing the fabled cracked dark grey skin, pitch black clothes, slouched posture, wicked smile and everything. His black eyes and glowing red pupils displayed his definite status as a demon. Whoever he had possessed must have really been messed up. I noticed that linked to his pants was a capsule containing something that looked like blue-violet threads intertwined. The capsule was connected by a miniature chain.

_**"Another?"**_ His voice sounded absolutely hellish. I was a demon, all of us in our group were, but we never sounded like it. We sounded like normal people. I surrounded myself in a cocoon of my demonic red-colored power, to make sure I would be ready. He just snickered as he saw this.

"I've heard quite a bit about you. I'm here to bring you down." The cocoon dissipated, and I got ready to stop this thing.

* * *

><p><em><span><strong>Battle Time! Ben vs. ? ? ? ? Ben's POV<strong>_

The kid lunged at me right away head on. I jumped out of the way of a direct hit, but took a punch on the side of my neck. I backed away, waiting for another lunge and concentrating energy into my hand. When he lunged again, I gave him an uppercut punch, using the energy like a spring to send the kid sky high. His head crashed through one of the metal bridges. Heavy metal like that would have easily cave him a concussion and killed him. Right before I walked away with bragging rights, I noticed him chuckling. I looked back up to see him push himself back down, barely hurt.

The kid's smile grew wider, skin cracking a little more. It freaked me out a little. A glowing energy colored dark maroon, almost like blood, began to trickle down his arm. He rushed at me at an incerdible speed with a hay-maker. Right when I blocked his punch, the energy exploded on me, sending me into one of the walls. I should have felt lucky the wall was smooth, or it would have hurt much more than it did.

**_"Do you fear_ _death?"_** The demon-kid said in his hellish voice as he began to walk towards me.

"If I was, I wouldn't be here." We both charged each other. The very second before he could land another punch, I jumped to the side, grabbed his leg, and threw him into a collection of stalagmites. It looked like he was stuck, but not very hurt. He allowed himself to sink towards the bottom, and jumped back up to my level, pulling a sharp-edged stone from his side and holding it like a knife. He lashed at me and almost got my arm, had I not pushed him to an angle.

_Dammit,_ I thought, _I can't get a good hit on him..._ I didn't exactly have time to look for ways to hurt him, as he was throwing punches at me every second. This guy really was fast. _Don't I have anything I can use to-_ I dodged a quick kick. _-hurt him?_ The kid jabbed the knife-like rock into my shoulder, causing me to yelp in pain a little. I had taken worse, but him throwing me up into some mini stalactites added to it. As soon as I landed on one of the bridges, I pulled the stone and tossed it away. The demon-kid took a big leap from the floor, landing on another bridge. _What?!_

_**"Surprised? I see it in your **_**_eyes!"_** He raised his hand, conjured a ball of something, and launched it at me. The explosion was small, but strong, breaking the bridge and sending me tumbling back down.

_That...That was Focus Blast! How the fuck can he use that?!_ The kid chuckled, as if he read my mind. Suddenly I felt my throat close up for no reason. I began to choke, and had the feeling I was underwater, even though I was on dry land and no water was on me. I began to panic, it was like that one day all over again. The pain was the same, the feeling of helplessness was the same, everything felt the same as that one day. I lifted my head to see the kid with his arm reached out, a mixture of dark energy and blood-colored soul power dripping from it.

_**"Ha ha ha ha! Is that really the best you can do?!" **_I launched a pulse of my energy to get him off-balance. It didn't have as much effect as I hoped it did, but at least the hallucinations and pain were gone. He sent a Dark Pulse attack in retaliation, both perfectly canceling. He jumped down from the bridge, casting himself in his maroon demon-altered soul power. The energy faded two seconds later, allowing me to rush in and bash his head into the wall. He pushed me away, and blinded me with a Night Shade attack.

"How are you not dead?!" I yelled as I tried to get myself to see again. I felt several hits and slashes tearing me up as I tired to recover. Eventually I fell on the floor, everything feeling numb, yet hurting like hell at the same time. The only good thing was that I began to see again. I could feel the demon-kid step on my back from behind. His hand grabbed the front of my face, his fingers digging into my skin and pulling. It felt as if he was going to tear my head off. The feeling of strangulation and water returned, adding to the morbidity of it all.

The kid began to laugh maniacally, his voice sounding more hellish than ever, his grin wider, his eyes more psychotic-looking, and my pain increasing. He laughed more and more. Right when I was feeling like it was the end, I noticed a blue-violet glow from behind me. The kid, stopped laughing, stepped off my back and let go of me, and I tried to catch my breath. My face was bleeding quite a bit, but I didn't have time for that. I rolled over to see the demon-kid screaming on one knee, clutching his head. I saw that the glow was coming from whatever was in that capsule on the chain. I took the opportunity, charged all my energy into my fist, and punched him right in the chest with all my might, the power bursting on him and knocking him cold, freeing me from the wretched pain again. It took me two minutes just to regain the strength to walk.

I limped over to the capsule, its chain broken. Looking closely at it gave away that these were fragments of someone's soul. It was tempting to consume the shards, as demons most enjoy, but then another thought crossed my mind.

_Why would this kid keep this? _I pondered. _His soul is maroon, almost like blood. He devoured or killed everything he previously fought. So why would he keep this of all things? And why did it affect him? _I looked at the kid, still knocked out. He actually seemed kind of peaceful for a vicious, bloodthirsty demon, one that definitely lived up to the reputation. I thought about what to do with him.

* * *

><p><em><span>Helena's POV<span>_

"Don't you have that thing ready yet?" The Boss asked. We were camping in a tree not very far from the cave.

"Sorry," I replied, turning the knob on the listening device, "this thing is touchy." After a minute I finally got the thing tuned, and we listened while watching from afar. We could also see a demon walk out of the cave.

**"Amazing," **my device picked up, **"Now I'm for sure the only one who can beat Ben is-...What?!" **The demon we spied on saw something we didn't. I grabbed some binoculars and saw that "Ben" was limping and struggling, as if severely injured.

**"G-Go in t-there and retrieve that rogue demon!" **The demon, apparently named "Ben" demanded,** "I want that demon studied and I want to find out what's with that thing!" **They all rushed in like no tomorrow.

"Should we go in and see what they mean?" I asked the Boss.

"...No. We'd be out numbered if we were challenged."

"Understood." We packed up when a question peaked my interest. "Hey, Boss. When do the 'Whodunit' games start?"

"Not for a while. Why?"

"I have a few ideas to make these games more 'interesting' than last time."

"Oh, no..." I laughed at his response.


	7. Diary

**Randomind: The idea of one of my OCs writing diaries started from this chapter. At this point I was alternating publications in chapters between this story and the new version of its predecessor. I would spend ten days on a chapter for one story, and then switch to ten days on the other. This OC wasn't supposed to exist at all, but his creation along with five other new OCs in the remake story gave me the "I might as well," thought for putting him into the line of this story, too.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong><em><span>Chapter Seven: Diary<span>_**

_Lostlorn Forest Belle's POV_

"Well, we're here," I said as we walked into the trees.

" 'Die a warrior?' Really, Mace?" Maria said, giving away that they didn't hear me, "Your mouth was just ensuring death."

"What was I supposed to do?!" Mace snapped.

"Stay quiet. You shouldn't provoke something you can't hold up against."

"Well, I'm so sorry that I wanted to stick up for you."

"I get that, but you need to know when not to do something like that."

"Guys," I got their attention, "we're here. If there's any clue on where your cousin is, chances are that it's here."

The forest just seemed like any, though. There was nothing really out of the ordinary as far as the eye could see. However, that's relative, provided all the trees and branches that got in the way of vision. Although I could have sworn I saw a kid with green hair, that could have just been my imagination.

"I wonder how one kid could stay in hiding for so long," Mace said as he looked through the bushes.

"I doubt he did it alone," I replied, "he probably had friends to help him, as well as R..." We kept searching the place with no luck until we came across something unexpected.

"Is that a house?" Mace asked.

"No...that looks like a Nimbasa apartment building." Maria ran to it. Those two-level buildings were all over Nimbasa, but it made me wonder why one of these things was so far away from the city.

"It looks like it hasn't been touched in quite a while," I commented, "I'd say at least a month or two." There were vines and moss growing on the side. How moss grows on a synthetic wall is beyond me, but who was I to worry about that right now? "Should we go inside? I bet whoever owned this place doesn't live here anymore."

"I guess we could, it does look deserted." We all went inside. It was pretty dark inside, but the thing was relatively well-kept, but all the cobwebs and dead potted plants proved that this place was deserted.

"How many people do you bet lived here?" I heard Mace ask.

"I don't know," Maria answered, "seven, maybe eight."

"Wouldn't that be kind of crowded?" I wondered. "I mean, these buildings are meant for families of four or five."

"There were eight people here," Mace said confidently. I looked at him, he was holding some sort of book and reading it. "Apparently, one of the inhabitants here kept a little diary. This person had crappy handwriting, but I can read enough of it to make out what I can't read."

"Well, read some of it," Maria said.

"Okay, okay," he cleared his throat and began to read.

**_June 27, 2... _**"I can't read that year."

"Skip it," I replied.

**_This morning felt far from good, but I got more sleep than I would have, provided the rough time last night. Someone had attacked us in the middle of the night, and almost killed us all. It was difficult having to defend ourselves from these things, with their superior power and the constant threat of that one person coming after us as well. _**

**_When we did manage to defend ourselves, I noticed that man (I forget his name) was coming after Adam. They both fought their way apart from us. Had it not been for his pokemon, we easily would have caught up with them. Being worn down by the demons allowed many problems in facing the pokemon. But the battle was interrupted by a bright glow. As soon as I could, with the other five taking care of the pokemon, Adam's friend and I ran as fast as possible to the glow. It was much farther away than we had thought._**

**_I realized the glow was from Adam. His long and persistent stalemate had finally broken, granting him the power of his mother's family._**

_Clara,_ I thought.

**_However, what I saw was not what I expected. The man was pinned onto the ground, and Adam was raising an arm that was full of the newly obtained energy. His face was cold and barely showing what he felt, but the eyes said different. The look in his eye showed no hint of mercy, but a lust for revenge. We got his attention, which seemed to end the conflict. However, if I didn't know him better, I'd think he would've had no hesitation of killing him._**

Looking at Maria displaying utter disbelief at what she was hearing made me think of many questions.

_Who is the person who wrote this?_

_How did he know Adam?_

_What stalemate?_

**_The man fled, and Adam returned peacefully. His emotions have returned to him, and he can finally feel as much as we can, but I still am worried for him. As I am writing this, I begin to wonder about his interior. Many times over the months he has shown many examples of kindness and respect, but what I saw in him is not what the others assume as just a mere feeling of anger._**

**_I could see something terrible welling within him. Whatever it is, it makes me think the victory of his soul was not the end. I believe that something else lies within him, something that was buried deeper than his emotions for so long. I am afraid that if he reaches a breaking point, things could go wrong beyond comprehension. What lies in the heart of Adam? I pray to Arceus that it's not what I think it is..._**

**_-Josh_**

"...Well...That was interesting..." Mace was speechless after that. We finally had a record of what Adam had grown into after a few years, and what we got was someone almost on the brink of killing. I doubt anyone expected that, but I noticed Maria almost tearing up.

"What's wrong?" I asked, bringing her close to comfort her.

"If what the person who wrote that entry is right, then..." She sniffled.

"Then what?" I tried not to seem pressuring.

"Then that thing from the other night...I saw the look in his eye only once before...it's him." She began to cry. "That's Adam!"

At this point I didn't know what to think, until I noticed something on the little table by the old couches. I picked it up to see a picture of a group of eight kids, one of which a gardevoir. They each seemed to be about nineteen or twenty, except for one girl, one boy, and the gardevoir, all of whom looked a few years younger. They seemed pretty happy together, as if they were all a family.

"I bet one of these is Adam," I said as I showed the other two the picture, "which one do you think it is?" Maria pointed to the youngest boy in the group. He wore all black clothes, had dark brown hair and eyes. For some reason he looked just slightly fuzzier in the image than the others. I don't know if it was just bad lighting or what, but it was weird.

"I bet it's this one," Maria spoke, "Those who can use illusions can mess with cameras, even on accident. It looks too fuzzy compared to the others to be anything else."

"How do you know this?" I asked.

"Adam would visit me before the incident with his parents happened. When a picture would be taken, it would usually be a little fuzzy where he would be. It was rare that he was crystal clear in a picture."

"I doubt that demon from the other night could have been Adam," I said.

"What makes you doubt it?" Mace asked.

"That demon's essence was blood red. A normal demon's is brighter than that."

"So?"

"So that would mean that the essence must have been like that from the beginning, negating possibility of the water blue essence that would have been passed down from Clara to Adam. There is no way that it could be Adam."

"But if a person's essence changes when they get possessed, then what would the color matter?" Mace argued.

"...I still have doubts it could be Adam. Until we have solid proof, I say it's not him," I said. I could tell Maria wanted to support me, but she still thought different. "Don't worry, I'm sure your cousin is okay."

* * *

><p><em><span>Purifier Base Eric's POV<span>_

_"_I still think 'Wanderer' is a bad nickname," The Boss argued, "it doesn't sound like a good nickname."

"What nickname do you suggest?" Helena asked.

"Why not just call him by his name? Is it really that hard?" he replied.

"I'm with him," I said, "Do we really need a nickname?"

"Why not?" Helena asked.

"How about I give you each a nickname of your own?" the Boss suggested.

"Go ahead," Ryan said.

"Let's see..." He pointed to me. "You can be 'Dusty'. That suits you."

"Huh?"

"Dust your room, I need an allergy pill just to be in there." The others snickered.

"You," Boss pointed to Ryan, "You can be 'Ear-Breaker'. We all know why."

"I'm not on Unova's Voices for a reason, okay?" I chuckled.

"And..." He turned to Matthew, "your nickname is 'Grease-head'. Clean your hair."

"One time," he tried to defend himself, "and it was only because Curtis spilled the oil on my head."

"Why was Curtis handling oil anyway?" Helena asked. "He's not a janitor, and we didn't give him a pyromaniac pass."

"...What would be Helena's nickname?" I asked.

"She would be...um..." It looked like the Boss was hesitant to say it.

"Well, say it," Helena said.

"I don't think I should."

"Come on, it's probably not that bad."

"...'Teaser'..." Ryan, Matthew, and I started to laugh our asses off like no tomorrow while the Boss was doing his best to suppress his own laugh. Helena was not amused. I could tell she really wanted to beat the living shit out of all of us, but she deserved what she got after all the times she was a big cock-tease to most of us. It was her cruel idea of a prank.

"Hahahahaheheheh...phew...But seriously, should we send someone over to the forest and check on that whatchamacallit?" I asked.

"I can go over and study it. If you want to, I can bring Curtis along. He hasn't exactly had any time in the field since a long time ago," Matthew commented.

"Very well. That could work...Have those mass groups dissolved yet?" the Boss asked Ryan.

"No. In fact those groups have combined into one. It makes no sense why they'd do this. It's not like 'he' has escaped."

"I bet they're afraid of something, and they're grouping up to take it down," Matthew suggested.

"But what could possibly make them so afraid that they group this much?" The Boss pondered as he looked around. "I just don't get it."

* * *

><p><span><em>Unknown Place Ben's POV<em>

All the demons we could find were looking at this powerful kid, now unconscious and inside a cocoon of red soul power. He seemed very peaceful, but even I didn't want to get too close.

"This is the demon that almost killed you, Ben?" one of the demons wondered.

"Yeah," I replied. I didn't even try to deny the fact that I shouldn't be alive. Usually I would deny close calls, but this was much different. I can't just deny near-death. That would be stupid.

"What kind of thing did this demon possess?" another demon asked.

"I have no clue, but we should be careful if he ever wakes and breaks free." I still stared at the kid, ignoring the fact that Purifiers could be spying on us at any given moment. "How long, Chuck, before he does wake up anyway?"

"I don't know. Let's check the soul and it's demonic part," the demon said. He slowly extracted the soul from the kid in the cocoon. The glowing red sphere that was his soul gave us quite a shock. It had cracks and loose pieces all over. It looked like it was ready to collapse and fall apart. "The fuck?! Damn...Ben, did you do this?"

"That wasn't me...at lease not all of it...I only had enough strength to knock him out. Someone else must have fought him and did this."

"How can you tell?" one demon asked.

"Look at the cracks. They show signs of healing, which means that quite some time must have passed since these cracks were made...He was also carrying something in a capsule. It looked like a piece of another soul. Did we collect that?" Someone gave the capsule. "Why he kept this out of all that he destroyed is beyond me, but I think it's connected to him in some way.

"I bet it could take weeks before he wakes. However, we should keep whatever this is until later. We have to find out who this is."

"Interesting," a demon said, "his soul and demon part are one in the same, like you Ben."

"What?" I looked at it, and she was right. There was nothing to tell the two parts separate. They were mixed. As far as I've seen, I was the only one with the same case. "...That is interesting. The more we learn, the better. Once his soul heals enough, I'll look through his mind for any clues identifying him."

* * *

><p><em><span>Lumiose City, Kalos Unknown POV<span>_

"Amazing, isn't it?" I asked my friend as we sat on a bench. It had been a long time since I was in my hometown. Just looking at the monumental gym was still an awe to behold, even for someone who lived here.

"Yeah, it is. It really stands out from the others...kind of like how he did."

"Adam?"

"Yeah. He was a great guy. I wonder how everyone's doing?We said we'd stay in touch with them."

Hearing that made me start to think a little harder than normally. We did promise to stay in touch. I checked my old Xtransceiver and checked for any calls from him. There were none. I checked the holo caster I bought a few weeks ago. Nothing. All the while it seemed strange.

"That's weird. Absolutely nothing."

"Maybe they're just busy."

"But they would have at least let us know about _something_...Should we visit?"

"Are you saying we should go back?"

"We can get a decent transport."

"Being a stowaway on a trash boat is not decent."

"We have the money for a real ferry. The least we could do is pay the others a visit."

"I've got a bad feeling about this."

"Don't worry. I bet they're fine. I even have seen word spread about the incident."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Apparently the news about what happened in Lostlorn Forest is spreading like wildfire. They think Adam might be involved."

"...That doesn't make me feel much better."

"Hey, worst case scenario is we go empty-handed with info and we turn back."

"I think it could be worse than that..."

* * *

><p><strong>Randomind: The last scene in this chapter contained two of six OCs introduced in the new You Know What. This is where it became apparent that I could not keep promises on the internet for the life of me.<strong>


	8. The Boy And A Demon's New Face

**Randomind: In this story and its predecessor there was the infamous center of Lostlorn Forest. People who visited this center came out either insane or dead. What the public of Unova didn't know what that the 'victims' touched a cursed sword that just happened to be in the center. This chapter marks the first time someone other than the sword's forger touched the sword without the sword trying to kill them with dark and deadly curses.**

* * *

><p><em><span><strong>Chapter Eight: The Boy And A Demon's New Face<strong>_

_Lostlorn Forest Maria's POV_

It was night out, and I was going through a mixed amount of emotions right now. That entry in the diary was getting to me. It wasn't too detailed, but it made me question the memory of the kind and caring Adam which I had grown to keep.

I was alone in the woods. I asked the others for some time by myself. I don't remember how far I went, but I needed these moments to process what I found from the diary. The questions kept hitting me like brick walls.

_Is he even alive?_

_Even if he is, is he the same Adam I knew?_

_Is it really worth chasing him?_

_Does anyone we can find know where he's been all these years?_

_When will I ever get a single clue as to how or where he is?!_

Eventually I got my mind back into focus. The silence if the woods got my mind cleared up. I don't know why, but standing in this part of the forest gave me a feeling of serenity.

But that feeling was cut short as soon as I realized I was lost. I decided to get up and find my way around. Normally this wouldn't be a good idea, but I told them I'd be gone for a while, so they wouldn't look for me anytime soon. What I saw next wasn't exactly the norm.

* * *

><p><em><span>Curtis' POV<span>_

I can only see two reasons why I was brought into these woods with Helena and Matthew. It was either that they wanted me outside for once in a while, or they didn't trust me alone after spilling that oil the other day. I feel like the only Purifier that's babysat despite the fact I could beat two upper-ranked men in a fight.

"We're lost, aren't we?" I asked.

"Yup," Matthew answered, not even trying to cover it up.

"We're not lost," Helena tried to reassure me.

"We've been going in circles." I explained, "Seriously, I can see those four stars in the sky, and with those I can see we're just going in circles."

"...Which ones?" Helena asked me with interest.

"Those four colored ones that, if there were five, would make a bigger star...or a hexagon, depending on how you look at it." The two of them looked up, both going wide-eyed. "What, am I missing something here?"

"No," Matt said with uneasiness in his voice, "let's just find what we're looking for. There are no demons nearby, and all the pokemon are asleep, so it should be safe to split up. We all have our Xtransceiver numbers, and we'll all know it when we see it."

We all took big amounts of land to search. At first I didn't really find anything special. Just a few rocks and me getting bitten by a few joltiks. But I have to admit that my attention was more towards the stars than it was towards the search. For some reason, one of them looked bigger than the others. I don't like it when I'm left in the dark on something. I am the person that wants to see the grand scheme of things before going out. My lack of focus on the ground caused me to bump into someone.

"S-Sorry," the girl said. She was a brunette, about ten years old.

"My bad." I brushed myself off after helping her up. The girl noticed my uniform.

"...Aren't you a little young to be a Purifier?"

"Yes, but I'm in the syndicate for a reason. From where I'm from, people normally don't venture out until they're in their very late teens. I can tell it's not the same for here."

"I don't remember disownment as going on an adventure."

"Ah..." I wanted to say something to her, but considering that this girl was recently disowned, it didn't seem like a good time to do so. Instead I went back to looking for anything out of the ordinary.

"So why are you here?" She followed me.

"That doesn't concern you." I pushed over a bush.

"Classified, huh?" Her remark got me into turning towards her.

"Look, this isn't a place for you to be at night. Do you know what lurks here?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you here? I doubt you live in these woods...what's your name?"

"Maria. A relative of mine went missing, and I intend to find him. Someone who did live here knew him."

The thought of hearing about someone who actually living in the forest interested me. Didn't I hear one of the other Purifiers talk about someone who used to live in the woods?

"Well, it would be a good idea to wait until tomorrow." Tilting my head to the right made me see something that was definitely odd. It was a pedestal holding a sword with a handle made of some obsidian-like rock, and a blade made of this really dark grey metal, almost pitch black.

"I guess that is what you wanted to find." I didn't deny it, considering this was the only thing that didn't blend with just about everything else. I walked over to it for a closer look. It had a design that I could swear I saw before. I grabbed the handle, which felt really cold, and lifted it out of its pedestal. I just looked at it. It was made very well, and who knows how long it's been there, yet it was in amazing condition.

"Um, Matthew, Helena," I spoke into the Xtranceiver.

"Yes?" They both replied.

"Is this really dark grey sword what you mentioned earlier?"

"That's it," Matt answered.

"It's pretty weird. I thought it'd be heavier than this." Suddenly a suppressed yelp came from Helena's line. "Are you okay, Helena?"

"Keep the signal alive, we are coming right over!" Matthew started running, as shown by the shakiness of his screen.

"Sounds like something big," Maria said.

"I suggest you should start going. They'd probably chase you away if you're still here." Thankfully, she obliged. Two minutes later Helena and Matthew came. They looked at me like I was lifting a giant ball of granite with one hand. "What?"

"Curtis," Helena finally spoke, "everyone who touched that sword before you either went crazy just by touching it, or died. What I don't get is how you are neither insane nor dead right now." I wouldn't have grabbed the sword if I had known that, but since I was just fine, there was no real need to drop the sword and freak out.

"...Oh..." There was an awkward silence. "Someone probably should have told me that...So do we keep this here or put it in a box or..."

"Can you carry it?" Matt asked. "You being able to hold that was unorthodox, but bringing it back to base will make studying it much easier."

"Okay...Why are we studying this thing? I feel I was left out on a lot of the info."

"We're trying to learn about the people that made that sword," Matt answered, "so we're using that as a lead." That didn't really make much sense to me, but it was late, and I didn't feel like asking more questions. Eventually we hiked back to the base.

* * *

><p><span><em>Belle's POV<em>

"Do you know much about this 'Josh' guy?" Mace asked me. We were still in the abandoned apartment home, resting on the downstairs couches.

"I did know someone of that name, but I'm not sure if it's the same person."

"What was the Josh you knew like?"

"He was a nice person. The last time I saw him was about four or five years ago. He was going with his family to visit some house that was said to be haunted. I haven't seen him since."

"Where was this haunted house?"

"It was on some small village. It's not even on the map. It gets food and other supplies from Mistralton City."

"What happened?"

"I don't know, but something tells me he won't be back." I must have done a bad job of hiding my sadness, because he looked at me with empathy.

"Was he close to you?"

"We were best friends. I actually had a little crush on him. It was hard getting used to him being gone. If he's alive, I wonder where he is now." I picked up the diary from earlier. "Maybe this really was him." I tried looking through other pages, but they had little except for daily routine. But some dates were interesting. There was one entry about a ghost. I bet that was interesting.

"Hey, guys," I heard Maria walk back into the place.

"That was quite a while to be outside," I said, "are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine...I did see a Purifier in the woods, too. He was actually kind of young for a Purifier."

"Really?" Mace asked. "How old do you think he was?"

"Thirteen, maybe."

"That is young," I added. "I wonder why he's with them. There's no way he could be a hunter..."

"Where the hell is that kid?!" We heard someone outside.

"Don't move," I whispered to the others. I went outside to see someone frantically searching for someone.

* * *

><p><span><em>Ben's POV<em>

Knowing that demon-kid couldn't have gone too far was easy, but figuring out how he managed to get away without us noticing for a long time was something else. I was the only one that volunteered to go looking for two reasons. The first was that I alone beat him, even though it was out of dumb luck. Secondly, My soul and demon were one in the same, so I could shut down the demonic look of my eyes at will. This made the perfect stealth in a tight situation. The only drawback was that using soul power turned the glow and blackening back on.

_That fucker wasn't supposed to wake for weeks, _I thought, _how does he do that, getting away undetected? _I saw a violet-haired woman walk out of the shabby building I was near. Even though I was a demon, to her I looked like just another fourteen-year-old kid. I could tell she was one of the nomads, so I still had to be careful.

"Excuse, me," I got the woman's attention, "have you seen a kid about my size and age nearby, wearing all black?" The woman looked at me curiously. I didn't know whether or not I blew myself right there, so I kept my cool.

"I can't say that I have. Sorry." Right before I could continue my search, she stopped me. "What's someone like you doing around these woods without pokemon?"

"The night doesn't scare me," I replied.

"...I see...Good night." She walked back in. Something told me I slipped somewhere. But I just ignored that and kept searching. There was a mass killer to find, and I wanted to find him.

The night was pretty gloomy. And there was a feeling of unexplained grief in the air. I knew I was getting close. Looking closely at the trees, one of them was stained with dry blood. Luckily I didn't touch it. It could have been a mightyena kill or something.

The abundance of trees actually began to drop as I walked more and more. I had to admit it was somewhat of an eerie feeling. Trees don't usually go from boundless to few that fast. It was almost like I was walking into an uncharted plain, with almost nothing but the grief to guide me.

I should have seen something by now, yet there was nothing. No bodies hanging, no blood but on that one tree, no signs of life or death. I was the kind of guy prepared for anything, but not nothing. Five minutes, nothing. Ten minutes, nothing. Twenty-five minutes, a woobat flies away, but nothing else.

I didn't even know at this point what to do. I had no sense of direction, the feeling was gone, and there was nothing to show where I was. It was like I was just in a whole new world. After an uncountable amount of minutes I noticed I was along the edge of a cliff, which had a huge lake at the bottom. I could see an island in the distance. It was surrounded by this glowing white field. The water near there was dimly glowing, too.

"It is a nice view, is it not?" An unfamiliar voice from behind made me jump. I turned around and saw the demon-kid looking directly at me. "And to think that a sight like this was within walking distance of home for years..." His voice was different this time. He sounded just like a normal kid that was fourteen, unlike the hellish voice from before. His eyes were different, too. The whites were only slightly gray with golden irises. He wasn't in a savage hunch or having a vicious look. Instead he was calm and stood upright with a straight face.

"...You lived here?" I didn't show it, but I got ready in case he was going to jump me like the insane monster from last time.

"You are afraid of me...I understand that. I would have been too if I was in your shoes."

"I still don't trust you."

"Good. Being too trusting can kill you easier than most things, even for a rare kind of demon like you."

"What happened to the vicious killer the other demons are afraid of?" When I said that he showed me his soul. The breaks and cracks were now just scars barely visible.

"Earlier I was...'damaged.' Now you see me as my normal self." It was as if I was talking to a whole different person. First, I saw him as a brutal monster. Now he hasn't even thrown one punch. Then another thought crossed my mind.

"You were unconscious for only a day or two. How could your soul possibly have healed that fast? Few have ever made it out alive with that kind of damage."

"I am capable of many things. I am actually someone who can do much more than I have led you to expect."

I began to wonder whether I should take in what he was saying or not. He almost killed me once, and I bet if he wanted to he could. Maybe he could come peacefully. I doubted this, but I wanted to learn more.

"How about this: We take you in and give you a place, and you tell us more about yourself."

"...On two conditions."

"What are they?"

"First, I will accept your home, but I am allowed to come and go as I please."

"Sure."

"Second, I want my capsule back."

"Which one?"

"The one I had on a chain before you took it. It had contents glowing a blue-violet hue."

"What is in that capsule? Part of someone's soul?"

"That's not of your concern...yet. But do you agree with my terms?"

"Yes. It's at my place, so we'll have to leave to get it." Suddenly trees came began to appear as if they just faded into sight. Soon the whole empty plain turned into just another part of the forest. I looked at him.

"Surprised? I told you, I am much more than you think I am."

"...How did you make it so I didn't run into a tree or a bush?"

"You did, multiple times. I messed with your senses so you wouldn't notice all the poison oak you drove through."

"What?"

"Never mind. Let's just go." We began walking out of the woods. At one point I felt my neck tingle a little. Then my legs started as well, then my arms, and eventually I was itching all over. I knew that the walk down would be fucking torture.

* * *

><p><em><span>Unknown Place Unknown <span>__POV_

Everything was completely blurry to me. I had no clue where I was or how I got there. Nobody was in sight, nothing seemed familiar, which meant I was utterly lost. The only thing I could make out of my sight was the night sky. Strangely I felt as if I was in two places at once. I tried to make sense out of anything I could see, but somehow I just couldn't focus well enough.

_There has to be some clue that shows me where I am,_ I thought, _it's not like I'm nowhere._ I kept looking for anything, yet saw nothing. _Where am I? How...How long have I even been here?_ Suddenly I heard a noise come from behind. I didn't understand what kind of noise it was, but it definitely was a noise.

"Who's there?" I asked. My voice echoed like I was in a large tunnel. There was no answer, and nothing to be seen. I wasn't just hearing things, that noise was real. "Anyone?" Again, there was no answer.

_...How long have been I been here? A day? A month? A year?_ For all I knew I could have been stuck in this blindingly bright abyss for an eternity. And I knew just as well how long I would stay here. _What is going on?! Where am I?!_

* * *

><p><strong>Randomind: I was thinking of keeping the monster for a little while longer, but I felt that, since there was much more to this character than a monstrous prop (he was an OC of Guess What), I decided to stop the monster to allow for some legitimate development (but who's to say the monster is gone?)<strong>


	9. A New Light on the Search

**Randomind: This is when Josh and Alex, two OCs from I know, I know, are formally brought into the story. The Feared Four had a reversal of this, as they originated from this story, but were also put into Yes, That Story.**

* * *

><p><em><span><strong>Chapter Nine: A New Light on the Search<strong>_

_Somewhere Outside of Unova Ben's POV_

"Are you insane, Ben?!" one of the demons asked me. I probably was, considering all the risks of bringing this guy along. It was still dark out, but I didn't care.

"Come on," I replied, "he could be a useful ally."

"Look at him!" He pointed to the odd one out, trying to keep a straight face. "This is the one who killed so many of us! All I see is a time bomb ready to destroy us all!"

"What's his name, anyway?" another asked. The kid didn't respond. He had been silent for the ten minutes we had been here. "See? He even won't say what his name is."

"Is a name really that important?" The kid spoke. His non-hellish voice startled everyone. It even shocked me, even though I had heard it a while back.

"Are you even a demon?" one of the others asked. "What are you, should I ask."

"I am just as much a demon as any of you," he responded, "but I can do more than most of you can. I know more than most of you do."

"Like what?" someone near asked.

"What would you say if I told you the person who would eventually gain the power to destroy every last demon was living right now?"

"Let me guess: It's you," some girl said.

"No, but I once knew him. If we were to find him, we could destroy him, preventing him from ever getting that power."

"How do we know that we can trust you?" someone asked.

"Do not trust me. Trust brings dependence. Dependence means weakness. We cannot afford weakness if we are to take this person down without making the Purifiers suspicious."

"Do the Purifiers know this guy, too?" I wondered.

"Yes. I bet they have a clue as to where he is."

"And how exactly are you going to get a lead against the Purifiers?" A demon asked with a tone of doubt.

"...Are you afraid?"

"Most of us are," I explained. "The rest, like me, aren't, but know we're no match."

"No match?" What was this kid thinking I had no clue. "Have you guys ever tried attacking in a group besides on me?" Everyone was silent. "If we attack in numbers, we could easily overpower them."

"You have no idea what they can do!" a girl shouted.

"Yes I do, I have seen it with my own eyes. To think we are not dominant is cowardice! I could take down twenty of them by myself!"

"Then put your money where your mouth is," some guy shouted.

"I would, but it has been a tiring couple of months. When the time comes, then I will do it. For now, I'm going to grab a bite to eat." He began to leave the area.

"Hmph," that one guy finished. "Tomorrow you are telling us much more about yourself."

"Fine."

"What is your name?" A demon off to the right asked. He didn't answer, and just kept walking.

"If you don't say, we can just give you a nickname," I said. The kid stopped. "How about 'Alpha?' That seems like a good name."

"Are you sure?" Someone asked to the left.

"It's better than nothing," I said. I listened for any other objections. There were none. Alpha was the guy's nickname now. After that dispute was over, the newly dubbed Alpha left to eat. What exactly he was going to hunt I didn't know.

* * *

><p><em><span>A Few Weeks Later White Forest Maria's POV<span>_

It had been a few weeks since we found that abandoned place in the Lostlorn Forest. About a week ago I turned eleven years old. It was a modest and little celebration, and I liked it that way. I still didn't know what to think of the diary. I remembered Adam as a kind, fun-loving person who wouldn't hurt a fly. The writing in that book completely contradicted that. The thought that Adam would be perfectly willing to kill someone just...shocked me.

"Why can't I get it out of my head?" I thought aloud inside the house.

"The diary?" Belle actually brought the book with us. "It was an odd entry. I didn't see that coming, but how exactly do we know if this was really the same Adam as the cousin you know."

"Yeah," Mace said. "Cheer up, Maria. I think he's okay." I didn't share that optimism. I hadn't seen him in years, so how was I to know how he was doing?

"...Hang on, I'm just going to grab some berries from the trees. For a treat, we're gonna have a great smoothie." Belle opened the door, showing someone who looked like he just was about to knock on the door. "Oh...Good morning."

"...Good morning," the man replied. He looked about twenty years old, had blue eyes, brown hair, and wore black clothes.

"...Josh? I-Is that you?" Did Belle know this guy? Looking behind him, I saw someone else who was just as old as the first guy, but had brown eyes . He wore the common trainer outfit, except for the cap that would have covered his blond hair.

"Yeah, that's my name..."

"It's me, Belle."

"Belle? How long has it been since we last saw each other?"

"Four years...Who is he?"

"Oh, this is Alex. He's a friend of mine I met four years ago...Who are you two?"

"I'm Maria, and this is Mace."

"Nice to meet you," Mace said politely.

"Nice to meet you, too," Alex replied.

"What's new since I last saw you?" Josh asked.

"Well, a couple of months ago, I met these two wandering the forest. Maria had a cousin that went missing a long time. We're all in search of him," Belle said.

"Who was her cousin?" Josh asked with a smile.

"Adam," I replied, "from Nimbasa." Josh immediately stopped smiling after hearing that. "What, did you know him, too?"

"...We haven't heard from Adam in months," Alex said. It sounded like they knew more than what they were saying.

"Well, that's better than years," I commented. "What was he like?" I knew he didn't want to talk about it, but my eager, but selfish urge to know took over. I will admit it was a little selfish. After the two visitors got comfortable and made themselves at home, they began their story.

"He was a kind person," Josh explained, "but he did have a bit of a cold complex."

"Cold?"

"You see, when we first met him he wasn't exactly the most open person. It was very hard to tell what he thought of something, if he felt anything towards it at all. But somehow, he was a master of sarcasm. Ruby seemed to be the only one that didn't mind the sarcasm."

"Who's Ruby?" Belle asked.

"A friend of Adam's," I answered. "Last time I saw her, she was a small ralts, smaller than Mace."

"Hey!"

"How much has she grown since the years, Josh?" I asked.

"She's grown and matured very much compared to then. Even in power she's grown, despite her little experience in fighting."

"When I last saw her, she had to concentrate really hard just to lift a book."

"Really? For us she would shake the whole room by having a nightmare."

"...Is this yours?" Belle asked, showing him the diary.

"Yes. You went to that one building. Did you read through it?" I couldn't tell how he would react, so I just told the truth.

"We thought we could find something in the forest that could help us find Adam."

"What kind of stalemate was Adam in?" Belle asked.

"It was between him and his demon," Alex answered.

"That doesn't sound possible," Belle replied. "Mental fights happen once a lifetime per person, and last maybe a few minutes. But a stalemate?"

"That's what it was," Josh said. "For seven straight years he was locked in a stalemate. His demon shut away most of his emotions and the possibility of soul power, and Adam himself controlled everything else."

_Seven years,_ I thought. That was a long time without emotion.

"Even when he did finally free himself," Josh continued, "he was still cold and distant, but less so."

"He wasn't the kind of person who would want to hurt someone, was he?" Mace wondered.

"No..." Alex seemed to drift off into a memory for a split-second, but came back. "...He didn't like hurting anyone, but he wasn't afraid to do it either. I realized this a long time ago."

"When did something like that happen?" Belle asked.

"...About half a year ago," Josh began, "someone had attacked us while we were returning home. Two pokemon had assisted him. Adam had to fight the man while the rest of us were occupied by the pokemon. If that stalemate hadn't been broken Adam would have been dead, maybe all of us. When Adam had finally unlocked his soul power he was able to stop him, but...but that look in his eye. I knew at that moment he was going to kill him."

"Who was this man?" I questioned. It didn't say in the diary, but maybe he found out or remembered after he wrote the entry.

"Derek, a former Purifier, and the one responsible for leading the attack on Adam's family."

"You're mistaken," Belle said standing up. "Derek's-"

"Derek is alive and he's still out there," Josh interrupted.

"Are you saying that someone actually did the procedure to revive that guy?!" Belle asked.

"Or he could have done it himself," Josh replied, "it's not the first time it's happened."

"How..?"

"Mister Onyx told me his story during the few weeks the two of us stayed in Kalos, his story before he came to Unova. He's one lucky man..."

"Are you okay?" Mace asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that look in Adam's eye. It was only for a moment, but it still haunts me."

"What was Adam like after he was in full control?" I wondered.

"Somewhat the same." Alex got a glass of water. "He was still a little cold, but not as much as before. He was a good-spirited person. He was the kind who cared little about himself, like he usually was, but he often put himself at risk before others, which I personally didn't like."

"I thought that was a good trait to have," Mace said.

"It usually is," Josh answered, "that is, if you're smart about it. Adam was sharp, but there would be moments where he fought when just running would have been the better choice."

"Do you have any idea where he could be?" Belle asked.

"No," Alex replied, "it's been months since we last were in touch with him. We do know some others who could help give some clues, though."

"Like who?" I thought aloud.

"Well, if you included Adam and Ruby, there were eight of us together, but one... I could try and call the other three and see if they have any leads."

"Okay. But how about we relax for a little while?" Belle suggested. "It's probably been a long day, travelling and all."

"I have no objections," Alex said.

"It has been a rough day." Josh sighed and got more comfortable in his chair. "Those guys on the ferry were total di- jerks." I knew what he was going to say, but I guess he didn't want to say it in front of me. With all that aside, we spent the rest of the day relaxing.

That night I began to think about Mace. He hadn't really made much progress on training, aside from maybe a few fights in White Forest. Maybe tomorrow I should take him to some other places to get stronger.

"Don't take your search lightly," Alex said to Mace, "judging by what you said, this guy isn't something you'll easily take down.

"I will avenge my people," Mace replied, "it's up to me to redeem the village's fall."

"Naïve," Josh said.

"What?!"

"No offense, Mace, but you can't expect to just win something." Josh sipped some water. "If anything you should expect to lose by the worst of means."

"I watched my family get killed in almost an instant!" I could tell things were getting heated.

"At least for you it was over with quickly!" Josh snapped. Everyone looked at him. "My loss was torturous, slow, and painful! My sister died with a disease when her soul was cursed with eternal suffering! You think that's fun having those horrible memories stuck in your head every damned day?!"

"Shut up, you jackass!" someone shouted.

"Yeah, quit the sob story, Craig!" another person yelled.

"Guys, guys, _I'm_ Craig, and I haven't done anything wrong. Now let's all settle down."

Josh just growled. It became quite clear that Josh and Alex were far from normal people.

"...I'm sorry..." was all Belle could say. The rest of us were silent. "When did that happen?"

"Four years, it was the reason I was gone for so long...Look, I'm tired. I bet we all are. So I think it's time we settled down." Josh got back up. "If you need me, I'll be in Black City." He walked out.

"I'll be there, too," Alex added, "I need some rest." Alex left as well.

"...I can't imagine what it'd be like to be in Josh's place," I said. The three of us decided to just give it a rest and sleep.


	10. Josh's Past(Part One)& Reunion of Allies

**This chapter starts a mini ark which focuses on how Josh lost his family as well as moving the events of the story forward. This ark would have taken place in That Story, but I thought it would fit better in this one.**

* * *

><p><strong><em><span>Chapter Ten: Josh's Past (Part One)  Reunion of Allies_**

_Flashback of Haunted House Josh's POV_

It was four years ago, and two years before meeting Alex and the other six. We were arriving where my parents were going to research some things in this house that was supposedly haunted. I hated horror movies and stories, so the thought of them going to a haunted house was more than uneasy. They somehow had the idea that bringing fifteen-year-old chicken me was reasonable. To make things that much better, they also made my sister, who was five years younger, tag along.

I do not remember where this place was, mainly because it wasn't on the map at the time, and it still isn't. I think it was somewhere in the desert between Undella Town and the island in the middle of the region that nobody goes to.

"Why exactly did you bring us?" I asked.

"Are you still scared of this?" my dad asked. "Come on, it can't really be haunted. Even if the superstition was true, it's likely just a gothorita messing around." That didn't help me.

"It's okay," my little sister tried to cheer me up, "I brought Abra along. He'll keep us safe."

"Lucy..." I wanted to say that Abra was little more than a trouble maker, and usually he was. But the innocent look on her face stopped me. That bit of innocence in her was something I didn't want to ruin. "Okay..." I never really trusted that Abra, but I guess I would have to. Suddenly Lucy began to cough. "You alright?"

"Yeah," She reassured me, "It's just a small cough, that's all." I was usually the worrisome kind of guy, so I was concerned the whole day. We brought about a week's supply of food and water, along with a few other things to prepare us for the worst. Our only pokemon was Abra, so if all else failed, we could rely on him. He could teleport, after all.

We began to set up inside the main hall of the house. The place was certainly deserted. There were chairs knocked over everywhere. Shattered glass was all over the place, thankfully spread thin and too dull to cut anything, but still everywhere. the floorboards and walls were torn up a little bit, with the colors being a faded dark brown. I was still on edge from all this.

"Still scared, Josh?" My mom asked.

"Yes," I said, not even denying it.

"We're okay, we've prepared for the worst." That's when I basically knew nothing was going to calm me down. I was a coward, I had to admit, but most of my fears were justified. I had no idea another was going to be added to that list. Also, I was weaker in both bravery and physical strength back then. If only I was like I am now back then, things would have been different. "How about this: We'll each use our Xtransceivers in case we need to talk to each other."

_Yup,_ I thought, _I'm hopeless._ I was fifteen years old, and I couldn't even read "Mr. Widemouth" without having nightmares for the whole month. My little sister loved ghost stories, since the idea of ghosts really didn't frighten her. Boy, like hell would ghosts be anything like those kids' shows. We each decided to split after a while.

Our parents left in one group, Lucy and I in another. Abra went on his own. He knew how to use the Xtransceivers, so he could get in touch with Lucy (I didn't understand the language of pokemon at the time).

The two of us went to the rooms in the upper floors. There wasn't much on these floors. All there was were three rooms, all just as wrecked as the rest of the house. In the last room there was something my little sister spotted.

"Look, big brother! What's that?" She picked it up. It looked like a yellow-green feather-like thing. It was glowing a soft white tint.

"I don't think it's a good idea to take that. I suggest you leave it."

"What could go wrong?"

I wanted to shrug really loud. Lucy was so innocent, but so ignorant too. I never got why she wouldn't question picking up something that glowed bright, whereas everything else was dark and gloomy.

"Please just leave it..."

"Okay..." She was a little sad, but I wanted her safe. Having her hurt was not acceptable. Out the window I could tell it was getting late. With that, the two of us got out our sleeping bags and went to sleep. Well, I tried to, but I couldn't sleep. All this was too eerie: the way the floorboards creaked wherever I leaned, the pattern of the cracked windows, even the feeling of the air was just unsettling. I couldn't imagine how my parents could stay like this.

Three hours passed since I was supposed to fall asleep. Instead it felt like an eternity of staring into this book my mom made me bring. It had all kinds of some odd characters I had never seen before, alongside letters and words of my language next to them. The book must have been a translation dictionary of some sort. I eventually decided to get up and look around. If I got used to the feel of this place, and memorized the place, then maybe it wouldn't be so intimidating. I felt bad for not staying by Lucy's side, but I couldn't sleep with this kind of worry in the back of my head. There was no way it could happen.

When leaving the room the air felt different, and made my head hurt. I tried to ignore it and checked the upper floors and lower floors. Below there was nothing really special. Just a cobweb-filled room with a ton of books on bookshelves. After going back to the main level I looked around the old place. For some reason the air had a different feeling each time I changed floors.

_You know,_ I thought to myself, _I am a serious over-reactor. _This place was a little gloomy, that's all. The glass was probably a vase a wild pokemon knocked over. And it wasn't like the place could kill. All the place is is nothing more than some house nobody has lived in for a long time. _I'm such a baby. This place is just fine._ I was slowly gaining my confidence back. It was only gonna be a day or two here. In the corner of my eye, however, something was odd. _Wait. Where is...**What the**** fuck?!** _Right where the front door should have been was nothing but wall, and all that confidence vanished along with it. I looked at all the windows as closely as I could, outside of them was nothing but pitch black, and I had the eyes of a braviary...or a noctowl...whatever.

I ran back upstairs. Lucy wasn't there, the sleeping bags weren't there, nothing was there. It was as if nothing was ever there in the first place. I began to panic. She hadn't even made a sound, even with those floorboards that were creaky as ever. The thingamabob Lucy picked up from earlier was there, right where she left it. It looked like there was something written near it, with an arrow pointing to the glowing object. Since I couldn't recognize any of the writing, I took out the dictionary from earlier to see if any of the characters on the floor would match that of the book.

"Two...peo...ple," I slowly translated aloud, "same...room...dif...fer...ent...space...pro...tects...(something)...night..." If I had a pen or a pencil, I would have written it down, in case I later found out what that missing word was. Just then I realized I could have tried calling the others with my Xtransceiver. I felt so stupid. I gave Lucy a ring, waited a few seconds, and then she picked up.

"Josh?"

"Lucy! Thank Arceus I'm glad to-"

_**"There's no hope, only despair..." **_A dark, ominous voice said in the speaker.

"Josh? Are you there? Where are you? Did you leave?"

"Don't worry, Lucy. I'm-"

"Hello?! Please, Josh! Pick up!"

"Lucy, it's-"

_**"There's no time, only death..."**_

I didn't understand what was going on. Lucy couldn't hear me. There was no way to mute people on these things, even if someone else was listening in, it wouldn't block the two people. This made no sense at all. With every second, with every panic Lucy and I were making trying to get a hold of each other, things began to grow dim. A simple gothorita could never pull this off.

_**"S a v e...Y o u r...S e l**** f."** _I hung up knowing I couldn't talk with Lucy. I didn't understand how I couldn't find anyone despite the house being easy to navigate. It wasn't like this place was a giant castle surrounding the pokemon league. I couldn't imagine anyone who would bother to build that, or navigating that. But it was still confusing how such a small place could hide everyone. Having nothing left for this room, I took the object and looked further into the house. I eventually came across a piece of paper nailed to the wall of the basement. I took it down and began to translate it.

"Once...an...hour...spaces...linked...change...same...room...different...dim...en...sion." The only thought I could get out of that was that this house took place in different dimensions, and once every hour they changed. I was just going on a limb.

_But how would you get across each dimension? _I thought. _And how would you know when you changed dimension?_ That's when I remembered that the air felt different when I left to explore this place. But when I came back there, the air didn't change. I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew it would be a long time before I would know.

* * *

><p><em><span>Back to the Present Purifier Base Curtis' POV<span>_

I was watching a few people working in the other room, where they were conducting research on the sword I got from the forest. I did seem weird how I was the only person to touch that sword without going crazy or dying. It actually made me wonder why I was even alive. I chose to leave the area and look through a window to the outside. It was a nice and calm day, no real action. However I could see something in the distance. Something was eating something else with both hands.

"What're you looking at, Curtis?" Matthew walked in.

"Nothing much. How's the research on that sword been?"

"Both good and bad. We know that it's connected to our primary objective. However, it's been difficult getting into the thing. We're doing almost everything we can do to get past the metal. Those guys haven't so much as scratched it." I looked over to the room. Someone was taking a hyper-powered acid drill that we kept for the hardest of cuts. There were no signs of change to the blade.

"Seriously?! Even the Handheld Death can't get through it?! That thing never fails!"

"I'm surprised, too...Wait, what's that?" He must have seen what I saw out the window. He took a pair of binoculars and looked closer. "My god...what _is_ that?"

"What's what?" Matthew handed me the thing. I ended up seeing something that looked human, but had yellow eyes, dark grey skin, and had black hair. I couldn't focus to well on what he had in his hands, but it looked reddish in the middle, and a light brown on the top and bottom. The thought of him eating it made me nauseous. Once I was able to focus a little more, the object came into clarity: the guy was eating the Emboar on a Bun from that Zippyburger joint. It was odd, but I thought it would have been something much worse. I went back to my quarters after that, wondering what that thing was. I thought it was a pokemon at first, but it was far too human-like to be so. Matthew had probably left to tell some other Purifiers about the whole thing.

About a week or two back was both the test for ranks and the "Whodunit" challenge. I figured it was Charlie, and I was right. That guy always gets nervous when he does something and is asked about it. I had made it to the third class, but still was not admitted into any of the divisions. I overheard from a few that they think I'll mess up my first independent field mission. It probably won't be a big mission, so I doubt that I would mess it up. I heard a blaster go off outside. It seemed like Matthew had shot something.

* * *

><p><em><span>Alpha's POV<span>_

It had been an hour since I had eaten. During that hour I was trying to disappear from sight. Someone had got me in the leg. I thought those areas were deserted, but apparently not. I knew I had to hide until I could return to the demons. I could hear one of the Purifiers pursuing me. I had to hide soon. Luckily I remembered I was born with the ability to disguise myself. And I did so, making it so I would look like a rufflet in a tree. I could hear other people walking near as well.

"...'t really get it, but you know that guy who chopped his finger off at Village Bridge?" It sounded like a woman's voice. "The next time I saw him after that, he was just fine. No finger cast, no stitches, not even a mark. How does that happen?"

"I'm not sure," I heard a little girl's voice, "that does seem weird." About when she finished her sentence, a group of five came into view. I recognized two of them.

_Josh? Alex?_ I thought, _But__ they went to Kalos... _I looked at the littlest couple in the group, remembering them from about a month or two ago. _Ah, dammit..._ I was really hoping they wouldn't notice me.

"...I didn't know rufflets lived here!" the girl said, looking at me.

_Of course..._

"Here, let me take a picture," the woman said, taking a camera out and taking a picture. "I rarely see those birds."

"...Why is the picture so blurry?" the ralts asked.

"Don't move!" I heard someone from behind. Everyone was shocked from the surprise.

"...Josh? Alex? Belle?" I heard noises as if a man was putting something away. "Sorry to scare you guys. I was tracking a demon down, and I seemed to have lost him."

"Really?" the girl asked, "What did it look like?"

"Black hair, dark grey skin, dark, tattered clothing, and had some capsule on a chain." The girl had a look of worry. "What, did you see it?"

"Not today, Matthew," the woman said, "but something that matches your description attacked these two kids back in October. We haven't seen the demon since. Josh and Alex looked surprised at this. I guess they were never told about that.

"...Come with us. We need to talk with you." The Purifier named Matthew escorted the five away.

"Seriously, though, why is the picture blurry? This is a new camera." Alex said. As soon as they were out of sight, I ditched the disguise and ran off, clutching my bad leg from the shot.


	11. JP(Part Two) & Found But Lost

**_Chapter Eleven: Josh's Past (Part Two) / Found But Lost_**

_Four Years Ago Strange House Josh's POV_

I was still shocked at the fact that this place had multiple dimensions in it, each looking the same (save the exit). Talking with devices didn't work, but there had to be some way of communicating. Just as I was loosing myself to panic, the edges of the doorways began to glow, and my timer went off. I set a small note saying "Josh was here" in a certain spot on the ground, and went through one of the doorways. After the glow stopped, I checked to see if the note was there. It was gone. Just as I had thought, the spaces connected hourly. But how many of them there were, and whether each was directly connected to the rest of them I wondered without an answer.

I had reached the basement of a different space. Unfortunately, the door leading to my escape wasn't in this dimension either. I searched the whole place, only to find no one. As I went back down to the basement I felt that I could breathe a little easier considering I knew when to expect the connection to happen. Hopefully this could mean that we'd eventually meet and get out of here.

_**It's not that easy, though, **_I heard a voice. It sounded like some guy my age was talking right into my ear. I quickly turned, but saw nothing. I turned back, and I saw a sphere glowing in front of me. It was a dark navy blue.

"...Was that you..?" I spoke to the thing. At first I thought I was beginning to see things, but it floated towards me. I guess this was a spirit.

_**The spaces you and your family are trapped in aren't so easily escaped or reached. Clearly one of you caused a major disturbance when you came here,** _The spirit said.

"What exactly did we do?"

_**The spaces have been shut away for a long time, but the house's keeper has returned, and has opened the spaces up. The keeper does not forgive, and does not forget. Beware, this place is beyond salvation.**_

"I need to find my family, so step aside," I said, and walked through the spirit. I had to admit it was a little rude, but I had to regroup with the others. Right before I could make for the stairs up, one of the bookshelves fell on me, pinning me to the floor. I bet I got a few splinters in the process.

**_"Step aside?" Is that all you have to say when you and your family faces a suffering that makes hell seem like a paradise?!_ **It felt like the shelf was being pressed down with superhuman strength. I could barely move my head. _**These places are far from safe, even for immortal souls like me! And when you die, you won't go to the afterlife realms, leaving you to suffer the eternal pain you felt at your moment of death!**_

"Do you expect me to just leave them alone?! They need me just as much as I need them!" The shelf was pressed harder, crushing me more. I couldn't get up at all, as if my body just froze under the weight.

_**One of you is the keeper, and I will find that evil thing even if it means killing every last one of you!**_

"Don't you dare touch-" I was cut off. The shelf was pressed even harder. I couldn't breathe from the weight painfully crushing me. My eyes stung, and the air was dusty. I had no clue what was going on due to my focus growing weaker and weaker. Suddenly, the shelf was lifted up, and set back on the wall. "Huh?"

_**You are not the keeper. The keeper has a mind that's...different from yours.**_

"What do you mean by 'different?' I don't understand..."

_**The keeper has an IQ much larger than your own, but is utterly insane. If the keeper finds you, the keeper will kill you. You must leave this place with your loved ones, but make sure that you know who the keeper is before trusting anyone.**_

"...Got it..." I began to wonder who this "keeper" was, and why that spirit was so worried that he almost killed me. I knew a few things, such as the keeper being insane and smarter than me. I hurried out of the room, and sat down on the steps. My back hurt from being squished by the bookshelf, so it would be a while before I could get up.

_**And one more thing: these spaces take place in different times, meaning that if you ever witnessed something from a different dimension, it could either have happened long before you actually saw it, or it may have not even happened yet.**_

"You mean the doors aren't the only way between dimensions?"

_**Yes, but the other ways are more like peepholes than actual passages. So as far as actual travelling, the only way is the doors. **_The spirit then vanished.

_What am I going to do? _I thought to myself, _I don't even know how many spaces actually exist. _I don't exactly know why, but for some reason I began to feel tired. I tried to get up, but my legs just felt weak. I didn't like the idea of sleeping when there's escaping to do, but if I slept for only until before the spaces linked again, there'd be no real danger. With that thought, I began to fall asleep. The only thing that made me a little uneasy was a small giggle in the back of my head right before I fell to my deep slumber.

Hours later I felt both rested and freaked at the same time. That giggle really creeped me out, and I knew I didn't just imagine it. I got up as soon as I heard something upstairs. The sound was hard to explain, but it was similar to a mix of fingernails on a chalkboard and ripping of paper. I slowly looked upstairs and saw my sister Lucy hanging on a noose.

"Lucy!" I could tell she was still alive, so I rushed to save her.

"J...Josh," she rasped in agony. I immediately got under her and pushed her up using my shoulders as a support. Lucy's huge gasp of breath ensured that my little sister would live. After using my arms to untie the noose and letting her down, I gave her some time to rest. Judging by what had just happened, that damned keeper must have gotten her. For some reason she was keeping her distance, but since she almost died I decided to let her be for now.

* * *

><p><em><span>Purifier Base Maria's POV<span>_

Mister Onyx was walking us through this massive place. It had everything you could imagine in it, it could have been a self-sustaining city if the Purifiers wanted to. For some reason Mister Onyx had a less than joyous look on his face. I get that hunting demons for as long as he has would have an effect on him, but it seemed like a personal pain. He eventually took us to what looked like a large hospital wing.

"I'm sorry I didn't get a hold of you guys earlier," Mister Onyx said, "but we were a little preoccupied."

"With what?" I asked.

"We've had a little trouble with the demons lately." We stopped at the front door of one of the rooms while Mister Onyx continued talking. "And we found an artifact that we've been trying to study, which hasn't been easy due to its deadly touch." I looked to my right to see Josh thinking hard. Did he know something I didn't?

"You didn't happen to find this artifact in the Lostlorn Forest, did you?"

"Yes. I'm aware that the little group of yours knows exactly what it is." I remembered that one older kid who was a Purifier back in the forest. "How are the other three of you doing anyway?"

_Three?_ I wondered._ Weren't there six others?_

"...Okay," Alex explained, "Have Ruby and Adam gotten any better?" Mister Onyx had a look of guilt on his face after Alex said that.

"...Adam's here, but neither of them have gotten much better." He opened the door to the room we were near. In the room was a teenage kid, one with brown eyes and hair, asleep in a hospital bed, and with lots of machines hooked to him.

_Adam..._ I began to walk closer to him, considering I hadn't seen him in years. But as I got near him, I felt a sharp pain in the center of my head grow more and more intense, forcing me to back away. It was sad seeing him like this, but at least I knew that the demon from a few months back wasn't him.

"Are you okay, Maria?" Belle asked me as she brought me in close to her. The headache seemed to go away.

"He's been in a coma for nearly a year now, and he shows little to no sign of waking any time soon."

"What was that pain in my head?" I thought aloud.

"Others have felt it, too." Mister Onyx sat down in a chair. "Recently the demons have been acting strange. The odd activity had started about the same time as when Adam had started the psychic attacks on anyone at all. I don't think he knows what he's doing, but he's causing complications at the worst of times, such as surgeries and other medical procedures that need concentration.

"Do you think there's a connection between the attacks and the demons?" Mace asked. The ralts looked at my cousin, who was still as a rock in his coma.

"Maybe, I've sent one of our own into the field for reconnaissance. There should be results in a few days."

"What about Ruby?" Josh asked. "Surely Ruby would know something."

"She's fallen under the same sleep as Adam." Alex and Josh seemed shocked at this. I didn't really know what to think of it, and, to be honest, I couldn't keep up with all of this. "However, she does show some kind of recovery. She might wake up by next week. We'll question her then."

"What do you know about Adam's...ailment?" I asked, for a lack of better word.

"From what I have seen, his soul has been 'chipped,' so to speak." Mister Onyx walked over to Adam, showing some discomfort when he got close. He slowly put his hand, which began to be surrounded in a pure white energy, over Adam's head. He then pulled out a sphere that was the size of his hand and glowed a neutral blue-violet color, with what seemed like a small depression in one area. I figured that was my cousin's soul. "A piece is missing from it, and we don't know where it is."

"I've seen something like that, but it was much smaller," Mace spoke up.

"Where and when did you see it?" Mister Onyx walked away from Adam, letting the soul float down and sink back into him.

"Back in October there was his demon that attacked Maria and I somewhere near routes eleven and twelve. It was carrying this capsule that had something in it. It was glowing exactly like Adam's soul was." Mister Onyx immediately activated some sort of advanced Xtransceiver and called someone.

"Matthew."

"Yes?"

"I want you to move some of the recon team over to the surrounding areas of routes eleven and twelve. Search for any signs of a soul shard."

"Got it, Boss."

Mister Onyx then hung up and then looked at us. "Even if we do find what's missing of his soul I cannot guarantee that he'll wake up. The soul is a very complicated thing, please understand that." Although this was my cousin we were all talking about, he was the one who had the dreadful look on his face.

"What's wrong, Mister Onyx?" I asked politely.

"Recently I found out that my daughter fell to a fatal illness that was supposedly extinct. Not only that, but Adam and Ruby being in a coma after years of hiding, the Purifiers' ruined public image, and your troubles looking for him could have all been avoided by one simple decision. This is all my fault. If only I had done the right thing and..."

"We all make mistakes," Mace said, trying to cheer him up.

"But mine claimed the lives of John and Clara, both of whom trusted me very much. And to think that it could have escalated to genocide had we hesitated longer."

"We can't fret about the past," Alex said. "We have friends who need our help, and fretting won't get us anywhere."

"...Thanks...If you want, you can stay and help us in finding that soul shard. We have the equipment, but we could still use you guys." We all looked at each other, and knew our answer.

"We're in," Josh said.

"Glad to hear that. As for you," Mister Onyx looked at Mace, "we have facilities used for training if you want to bulk up." Mace looked excited at the thought, which made me laugh. However, the laughter was cut short when we all were hit by some sort of psychic attack in our heads. It felt like what happened when I approached Adam, but much, much more painful. It was like my head was being jabbed with many needles from the inside out. At the same time Adam, who was nearly lifeless on that bed just a second ago, started shaking as if under a seizure.

"The hell?!" Alex exclaimed. Mister Onyx managed to get us out of the room and a few Purifiers in to solve the problem. After a few minutes the horrible feeling died down.

"That's been getting more frequent." Mister Onyx clenched his head. "We need to find that shard before it's destroyed. Do what you'd like until further notice."

"Thank you, Mister Onyx," I said.

"You guys can just call me Andrew."

* * *

><p><em><span>Route 13 Curtis' POV<span>_

"Routes twelve and eleven?" I asked. "But there's been nothing there except on maybe one or two occasions."

"The Boss and Helena saw some activity there a while back," Matthew responded, "and he thinks there could be more to it, even a shard of Adam's soul."

"Adam?" I wondered.

"Remember the attack by Derek's unit on that family?" One of the others reminded me. "He's the son of the family, and has been in a coma for a year."

"How did that happen, Jack?" I asked as the team split up.

"Apparently there was some ruckus going on in the Lostlorn Forest at the time, so we were sent to take a look. After finding Adam's soul chipped and both him and his friend out cold, we figured it was a demon attack. Helena thinks that the same demon that attacked Adam was once in the area we're sweeping."

"Huh..." We didn't see anything of importance for most of the sweep until we made it to see two people talking. One of them was that thing I saw earlier. The other was looked like a regular kid his age. The team hid and put up a few listening devices.

"How do you know so much about Adam?" The normal guy asked.

"I will explain that as soon as we group with the other demons." I looked at the two again. The normal guy didn't look like a demon. His eyes were just fine. As for the other, I didn't exactly have doubts, even if the eyes didn't match. "I also have some good news."

"You're cutting down on eating in public?"

"Hey, my disguises are nearly flawless. I have not been caught once...But what I meant to say is that I know where the Purifier Base is." I could tell some of the people listening were under distress, including me.

"Excellent. Do we move tomorrow?"

"No way. The way you guys work, we will never get far. It will take a while before everyone learns what they will need."

"What do they need, Alpha?"

"Refined fighting styles, stealth, knowledge of enemy weaknesses, and unpredictability. If we master what we need, we can take down the Purifiers in one fatal sweep."

"We should get out of here and tell this to the Boss," one of the Purifiers suggested.

"I agree," another said. We started to sneak away until a huge wall of blood red energy blocked us and surrounded the entire area.

"Oh, you can tell Andrew all you would like," we heard the guy named Alpha call to us, "but it is the way you say it we need to make sure of." One of the Purifiers shot a bullet at the demon, only for his eyes to glow like a demon's would, and reflect the bullet, hitting the shooter in the upper arm.

"So what do you suggest we do?" The kid asked, his eyes glowing as well.

"I have a few ideas, Ben," the gray demon said, "however, we are not going to kill them. We need to get a message across."

* * *

><p><strong>Originally Adam and Ruby's friends were completely oblivious to what happened to the two, something that became inconsistent with That One. So some details were changed to fix that.<strong>


	12. JP(Part Three) & Reunion of Enemies

**I wanted to make a little filler part where it actually showed Mace training in the arena, but I decided to skip it. Because reasons.**

* * *

><p><span><em><strong>Chapter Twelve: Josh's Past (Part Three)  Reunion of Enemies**_

_Four Years Ago Strange House Josh's POV_

"B-Big brother..." Lucy finally said after a long time of silence, "i-i-is it really y-you?"

"It's me," I said with a smile. She began to cry a little when I said that, followed by a few loud coughs. She must have come down with something, considering Lucy was often sickly, seemingly easy to catch something. "What's wrong, Lucy?" I walked over to her.

"You...You don't remember?" She scooted away, making me stop and wonder.

"Remember what?" She was silent. "Lucy, what happened? I don't remember being near you for quite a while." Lucy looked at me. I had absolutely no clue what was going on, or what we would do to get out of here.

"What was the last thing you remember?" Lucy asked me. I wanted to repeat my question, but I might as well evaluate what I remember._  
><em>

"Let's see... I was observing the weird things about this place, a spirit warned me of something, I fell asleep, and then this. That's all I can remember. Did I miss something?" I looked over to the noose that threatened my little sister's life so recently. "Who did this to you?" Lucy was hesitant to say anything, but eventually did.

"It was...No matter how hard I tried to wake you up you just wouldn't. It was like something took you away and put something else in you." She cried more. That's when I realized what happened.

"It's okay, Lucy. I'm here, it's really me, and everything will be okay." I still had to wait a few minutes before she would calm down. "Where are Mom and Dad?"

"I don't know. I only saw Dad for a moment before I was brought here. He said to forget the lunar wing. What's a lunar wing?" She was still scared, as expressed by her clinging on to me. I guessed she was certain that I was me now.

"I'm not sure, Lucy...Where's Abra?" She began to tear up again.

"I don't know. He left before I was..."

_Son of a bitch... _I thought instantly. That Abra would have made saving Lucy a lot easier.

We had stayed put for so long I don't remember how long it was. I tried to think of something before the next hour came. We weren't in the entrance space, and we needed some way to get there with Mom, Dad, and Abra. The only problem was that we didn't know how many spaces there could be. If there were too many, we might never get out in time.

"Big brother," I heard Lucy say, "do you have any water?"

"Sorry, I don't have any. Maybe we can get some once we find Mom and Dad." I heard something crash downstairs. When I looked, nothing fell, but the doors were glowing.

_That's not right,_ I thought, _It hasn't been an hour yet._ I heard a woman scream, and then that same crash echoed. When I looked through one of the glowing doorways, I saw the most morbid thing I had ever seen to this day: a giant patch of blood dried up on the wall, with chunks of flesh and strands of hair lying at the bottom with no less dry blood than on the wall. I felt so sick the very second I saw it. I immediately turned and ran away, leaning on one of the trash cans in case I needed to vomit.

"Are you okay, big brother?" I heard Lucy ask.

"I...I'm- *urk* fine..." I was really hoping that wasn't anyone I knew. While trying to get myself back on my feet I noticed more words in that foreign language, this time written on a piece of paper instead of scratched on the wall. I thanked Arceus that I still had the book, and began my translation. The handwriting seemed hastily made, so some of the words were hard to read, but were still translated.

_**2-25**_

_**That damned pokemon turned on us. My team is dead and cursed to suffer eternal pain here, all because that stupid pokemon misled us while we tried to track down the one thing we came for in this hellhole. Supposedly we had something that could protect those holding this thing from horrors that would otherwise seem invincible. We thought we could trust that abra who lived there, but what has happened to everyone and soon me has proven otherwise.**  
><em>

_**If anyone finds this note, get our of here now! The doors hourly lead to parallel dimensions with no exit from the house's counterparts, but the abra can trigger it early if he wants to. You can choose where the doors take you, but you must have left some sort of mark in that dimension to be able to choose it. Do not engage the abra, he is much stronger than one may think. Just-**_

The note ended there. It must have came from someone who was leading an expedition here and took a turn for the worst. At first I didn't think that the abra mentioned in this note was the same as ours, but it was too clear. The crashing noise happened right before I went downstairs, only to see a mutilated body, and me hanging Lucy in my sleep had to be the work of hypnosis and psychic, which Abra was skilled in. We had to get out of here while avoiding that creature.

_But what about Lucy? _I thought to myself. _She'll ask about him, and I'm not exactly a good liar. _My Xtransceiver went off, prompting me to pick it up.

"Hello?"

_**"W a n t...t o...p l a y?" **_I immediately hung up, but the giggle I heard when I fell asleep still echoed through the speakers. I looked into the other side of where that body was and where that scream came from, I saw another body on the other side similarly destroyed, but was more recently killed compared to the first one. The first body had nothing near it to identify it, but the next one had a purse that looked exactly like the one Mom had, and it had the same key chains, too. This time I really did puke, thankfully in the trash can. My mom was dead, so now we had to find Dad before the same fate happened to him.

"Lucy, we'll have to move soon. I've got a really bad feeling about this place." Provided that my mom was dead I wanted to cry. But there was no time to mourning. I had to make sure the rest of my family got out of here alive. It would be a while until the next cycle starts, unless that abra triggers it early. We had to prepare for that moment so we could get to another space, hopefully find Dad, and then go home. It wouldn't be easy, but it had to be done. I could hear Lucy coughing louder. I ran up to help her, realizing the remaining time was much shorter than I hoped.

* * *

><p><em><span>Purifier Base Maria's POV<span>_

"Woah! Mace, what happened to you?!" Mace had decided to use the training arena to practice. It seems that he was a little obsessive, considering that he walked in a very small ralts that couldn't do much and came out a gallade that was a little taller than me and seemed like he had been fighting his whole life. I barely recognized him with the drastic change.

"I feel amazing," Mace said with a smile on his face. What made me all the less sure this was actually Mace was how deep his voice got. It wasn't extremely low, but it was lower than I remembered.

"He seemed quite ecstatic about training," an orange-suited Purifier said. "He's trained so much I don't think he's going to get any stronger than how he is right now. This guy's got quite the passion in him."

"Thanks for letting him use the arena, Eric." Belle had just finished the dinner she packed for herself while the rest of us already scarfed ours down much earlier. It had been a few days since we had found out about Adam's situation, and we were about to take a transport back home. Turning to my left I saw another Purifer talking to Mister Onyx, or as he suggested, Andrew. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but it must have been important. Looking to my right revealed Josh talking to Belle. I smiled at the thought that they may have been flirting a little. The smiles on their faces didn't prove me wrong either.

It didn't take long before we were taken to the transport. Andrew had decided to supervise us until we made it home, which made me all the more confused. I didn't get why he came along with. Did what he was talking about have to do with us? I didn't know what to think.

The transport stopped in the middle of Route 12. Andrew had gotten out and led the rest of us out as well.

"From here is an safe way home. I would take you right home, but I have some urgent business here. You five can go when you'd like." Andrew then left and vanished into the trees. I was wondering why the area the Purifier boss went to was so familiar, and then I realized he was going where that demon attacked me back then.

"I-Is he going to be okay?" I asked.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Josh answered, "it's his job to deal with demons."

"Don't worry," Mace said. I was still uncomfortable with the fact that he evolved and grew so fast.

"What is that?" Alex stopped in place.

"What?" I wondered.

"There's something poking out in front of the trees right there." Alex pointed to something in the woods.

"I see it too," Mace said, "...wait a minute..._**it's him!**"_ Mace ran after it, hopelessly leaving us behind.

"Arceus dammit, Mace," I mumbled as we chased him. We here about to start walking home before Mace had to do this. It felt cold and ominous going through the trees, as if there would always be something watching over the shoulder. "Mace, come back!" Just when we were about to lose sight of him, we saw him stop. Whatever he saw, he charged at it with an angry look, as if he wanted to tear it apart. We were about to catch up to him when we heard a voice.

"Oh, for the love of..." A burst of red lit up the area, sending Mace tumbling back to us. We all tried to get Mace back on his feet, but Josh and I also looked in the direction the light came from. We saw something with dark grey skin, black hair, and yellow eyes. I instantly recognized it as that demon that attacked us before. Why his eyes didn't glow I had no idea, but I was still shivering at the sight.

"You!" Mace kept his eyes locked his eyes at the demon. "You took everything from me!"

"Do I know..." The demon looked at us with those golden eyes, trying to remember us. "...You have been training hard, have you not?" My attention turned to the capsule dangling from the chain it was attached to.

"Shut it!" Mace charged again, preparing a Close Combat attack. The demon just stepped to the side and tripped him.

"But you are not very smart, but that is why you are here." For some this reason the demon didn't sound the way he did when we first saw him. Last time he was more...sinister-sounding. This time he sounded like just another person his age. The demon turned over to the rest of us. "Oh...you people. Why are you here?"

"We could ask the same for you!" Josh shouted.

"...I am doing the usual business of dealing with those Purifiers. For that matter, Josh, you should not be here." We all stepped back at hearing the demon address Josh by name. Mace went around the area to get back to us.

"How the hell do you know my name?!"

"Because I have known you for more than three years. I am not going to forget about you after seeing the look on your face when Derek almost died at all-too-familiar hands." Josh grimaced at the memory.

"How would you know what my cousin tried to do?" I asked.

"Cousin?" His attention shifted to me. I felt a cold uneasiness when his eyes met mine. "...Maria, you have grown. I remember when you were so little so long ago."

"Who are you?!" Belle questioned, putting herself in front of me.

"The demons dubbed me 'Alpha.' I am a demon that has achieved something your kind takes for granted: complete independence."

"What do you mean by 'independence' in your case?" Mace got ready for another attack, but I tugged on his arm as a motion not to.

"I am the first demon to become a complete entity of my own, free myself from my original host, and create a body that is purely mine. This soul, this flesh, and this blood is mine and mine alone. It is certainly better than being stuck with your cousin."

"You're Adam's demon?!" I stepped back. I could see Andrew Onyx in the distance, eavesdropping on the exchange going on.

"Yes, which means I know him better than anyone else. That brings up a question I ask to you: Why do you intend to save him? He would have killed him viciously if I didn't step in, and when I did free myself from him, he ended up actually killing one of the eight in Josh's little group. Knowing Adam's future, I decided to kill him. Things did not go as planned. I chipped Adam's soul, and he damaged mine to near destruction, creating the monster you saw months ago."

"What?" I asked.

"And do you know who saved me from that monster? The demons. How about that? Had they not saved me, there would be a lot more beings dead than there already are." He quickly turned around. "Is that a surprise, Andrew? Come on out, it is not like you will find the others yourself."

"What did you do to the unit sent here?" Andrew walked into the open.

"They are safe. If I am going to hold hostages, I will make sure they're not harmed."

"What do you want in exchange for them?"

"Project SoulEye."

"Do you think such a thing would be given away that easily?"

"No, but since you are here, I can just deal with you here and go get it myself." The rest of us began to walk away, only to be trapped in some sort of bubble. "Oh, you are not leaving, not until I finish Andrew off.

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter was the first time Project SoulEye was adressed by its new name instead of Eye of the Soul. Before I put the story on hold, this story and Obviously That One were being created side by side.<strong>


	13. JP(Part Four) & Negotiations

**Hey...story's up and running again! Since it's been a long time, I figured that I should reply to a review:**

**Sega Nesquik wrote:**

_I'm surprised only one person has reviewed this. _

_It's a good start from what I've seen just from chapter one. I feel motivated to leave a review for every chapter, so I think I'll do so._

**Whoops...No worries, though. I'll go back and change that little detail...So...on to the chapter!**

* * *

><p><em><span><strong>Chapter Thirteen: Josh's Past (Part Four)  Negotiations**_

_S__trange House Josh's POV_

Nothing was going right. If it wasn't obvious before that Lucy had caught something horrible, it certainly was now. She was shivering horribly, and coughing and hacking so hard it sounded like she was going to hurl up a cue ball. The only bag with any kind of medicine was with Dad, and we had no idea where he was. For the past few hours we were aimlessly wandering through the dimension-time-whatever-the-fuck doors.

_You'd think there'd be an end to this, _I thought, pretending anyone could hear me at that point. _But no, we're wandering aimlessly through a hellhole that isn't even on any Arceus damned map! And...Wait, what's that? _There was a tapping noise, and then glass shattered downstairs. Even though I lost all my curiosity for checking noises out after last time, but I had to make sure that Abra wasn't going to jump us.

"Shit..."

"Dammit, man, quiet down."

"You're acting like the floor is filled with mines."

"It might as well be. Remember what happened to poor George? A giant nail up his foot and out his throat. That pokemon was a clever son of a bitch to fool George like that." I could see one of them was shaking. "Still frightened of him? That pokemon?"

"No...I saw what happened to him."

"What? Did he die?"

"Someone took him on. A spirit." I could tell Lucy was trying not to believe what she was hearing. But I couldn't blame her. I couldn't imagine what I would do if I learned my best friend was a psychotic killer.

"How could a sp-...wait, you mean-"

"Yup, that one." I wanted to continue listening, but I remembered that I had a sick sister next to me. Before she could cough and reveal my eavesdropping, I decided to approach them myself.

"Hey..." They looked at me, shocked at first, but then relieved that there were at least other survivors. "Do you have any medicine? My sister is sick."

"Sorry, but we don't have anything." I figured being with other survivors was better than having the two of us go alone. "How long have you two been here?"

"A day, maybe...two? I don't know, what day is it today?"

"Ah..." The second guy checked his watch. "February 27th." He showed me the watch. The year on it was almost six years ahead. I wanted to tell him to fix the date on his watch, but remembered that this place had multiple counterparts in different times.

"I overheard that the Abra died or something. Is that true?" I butted in.

"Yeah, Carlos here saw it with his own eyes, apparently."

"That spirit...just one jab and that was it. He didn't even look at the thing. He didn't even care that the pokemon was..." Carlos slowly took his hands away from his own neck. Even though that Abra was a killer, I felt sad at the horrible way he must have died. "You could almost feel the cold coming off that ghost."

"...Have you found a way out of this place?" I asked.

"Someone told us that if we left a mark in a time and focused on that mark," the other guy said, "when we went through the doors, we could go there like a shortcut." I remembered something like that.

"...Who told you that?"

"One guy that was always seemed to cross paths with us after being orphaned. I think his name was Jeremy or something...But we need to get out of here. We won't last forever here." We all got up, but Lucy fell nauseous and collapsed.

"Lucy!" I helped her up. As we walked Carlos noticed the dictionary I had.

"What's that."

"Translator dictionary. I've read a few things on the walls of these places."

"That book looks exactly like...Jeez!" We all stopped and saw a teenage boy staring at us. His eyes just looked at me, like he was staring through me as if I was nothing. Everything just froze. The spirit didn't say a word. Instead he just walked up to me. He could clearly see the fear in our eyes, but his own were completely numb and lifeless, just like the lack of feeling in his face.

"What..." Carlos peeped. The spirit turned to him.

"Why are you here?" The ghost asked.

"...Can we ask you the same question?" Carlos said.

"...Something's here. I need it...you're with those others, aren't you?"

"Who-" the spirit created a dagger in hand and stabbed him right in the neck before kicking him to the side of the wall, all without a single expression in his eyes or on his face.

"Liar."

"What the hell?!" the second person screamed. The guy shared a similar fate in a second. Lucy and I ran before he could do the same to us. Lucy collapsed again, so we had to go slower with me carrying her.

"Josh?" I heard a familiar voice upstairs. That cycle had started up again.

"Dad?!" Lucy called.

"Lucy!" Dad rushed down the steps and saw us. There were tears in his eyes as well as ours.

"Where's the medicine bag?" I asked.

"Destroyed. That abra-"

"Do you have any idea where we are right now?!"

"I am completely lost..."

"Where's Mom?" Lucy coughed. Her voice was weakening.

"Mom..." I tried to push myself to say something. "She...She-"

"She's dead, Lucy..." Dad finished my sentence. There was a moment of somber silence only interrupted by Lucy.

"...Duck!" Dad pulled us to the ground a split second before countless glass shards flew over our heads. We turned and saw the spirit approaching us.

"Follow me!" I led Dad and carried Lucy to one of the doors. I grabbed Dad's hand in case the door tried to split us apart. We left the door in the dimension where I left that "Josh was here" note. The entrance door was still not there. "What?! But...One more door. There was one more door before we can get out of here." Unfortunately the phase of the cycle where I could travel to dimensions ended.

"How do you know what's even happening?!"

"That dictionary is really helpful...Just one more hour, then we can get out of here..."

I quietly explained to them everything that happened to me up until now. I told them about the hints written on the walls, the note about that expedition, and how we got here.

"...If only time could go faster..." My dad said. I wished the same. Lucy seemed like she was ready to faint. I checked the time. There were only a few minutes left, but they felt like forever. Once the doors were ready, we darted for the door with me carrying Lucy. Just before we could make it, the spirit stood in the way, dagger in hand.

"I see it," he said in a tone as dead as he was. "You're with him...You're with them all." He thrust the dagger forward and almost cut Lucy.

_Shit... _I tried to back away, but my feet were locked in place, literally. There were metal braces holding my feet down. "What?!"

"End it all..." The ghost moved forward and threw the dagger. I flinched and shut my eyes, but nothing happened. When I opened, in front of me was Dad, impaled.

"Dad!" I yelled. The locks were gone. I knew Lucy wanted to say something, but she was too delirious to know what was going on. The spirit lunged at me, but I somehow dodged him and let him fall to the floor. "Dad!" I tried to free an arm to help him up.

"Josh...Go...Save her..."

"I'm not leaving without you!"

"Please..." I saw the ghost quickly coming back up the stairs.

"...I'm sorry, Dad..."

"Goodbye..." Tearfully, I left him, knowing the fate that awaited him. I ran through the door, seeing the exit to the house, and leaving the cursed place. I managed to get to a nearby city in the desert, albeit without a map. I took her to a hospital under the pokemon center in hopes of saving her.

There were none.

By the time they had gotten her in, it was already too late. The disease had destroyed nearly everything beyond repair. When I told them when the symptoms started, the doctor was shocked that she even lasted that long. They decided to give me treatment in case I had caught the disease as well. Looking back at how much I was and still am grieving, I'm surprised that I didn't turn down the treatment and let myself wither away.

I lost my family to a friend that lured most of us to our doom, a ghost with no sense of remorse for anything, and a deadly disease that should have taken me as well. I was lucky to be alive, but the next couple years were nothing but cold, bitter, and unforgiving. Had it not been for Alex and the others, I would have given up.

* * *

><p><em><span>Route 12 Curtis' POV<span>_

"Come on," I grumbled. Since the ropes tying the team to a giant tree was made of soul power, I figured it would be just like any other rope. Apparently these ropes can't be cut, or at least not by a stone shiv. Quickly thinking, I tried to find a way to escape without Ben noticing.

_Quit getting so close,_ one Purifier whispered to another.

_Not my fault. Back up!_

_Wait..._I thought. _Guys!_ I whispered. _Push away from the tree. I can free us if I can slip out._ It was annoying with everyone shifting and butting in at each other, but I managed to slip out of the ropes.

_Great, kid! Now get us out._

_Just a sec._ I slowly approached Ben as quietly as I could. Right when he turned and saw me, I grabbed his head and bashed it with my knee. He lost consciousness, and the ropes vanished. He may even be dead, I didn't check. Matthew and I rearmed everyone.

"Get back to base before anybody knows we escaped," Matthew told everyone. Before I could join the group, Matthew stopped me. "I heard there were civilians very close to the area. I want you to get them away from here while I survey for any other demons."

"Got it."

"Head south and you should find them." I hurried through the plant life and found the Boss on a knee, injured and labored breathing. With someone standing near him. He was the guy Matthew shot at the Purifier Base. Behind the demon were a few others, including that one girl I met in the Lostlorn Forest, looking at the demon in shock.

"With a bad leg I still beat you." The demon kicked the Boss a couple feet forward. He noticed me through the plants. "...What are you doing here?"

"Curtis?" the Boss looked at me. The gallade jumped at the demon and tried to pound it with a Close Combat attack, only to be swept away by a Night Daze from the demon.

"Mace! ...Alpha." The youngest of the few asked the demon, "why are you doing this?"

"Be specific." Alpha suggested. I tried to sneak up, but he had his eyes clearly focused on me.

"Why are you and other demons threatening so many people?"

"The only people I have threatened are those who have tried to defend the one thing that will end up just killing you all anyway."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Mace asked.

"Maria, you know those four stars in the sky, the oddly-colored ones?" Alpha asked the girl.

"Yes...What about them?"

"They are not stars, they are energy sources, each with the ability to decimate entire worlds. Adam has the most volatile one, and if he-gaugh!" Alpha lost balance a little, and whatever was in the capsule was glowing in a heartbeat-like pattern. The glow diminished, and Alpha rose again. "If that last star ignites, nothing will be spared!"

"Take this!" Mace came at Alpha with a Giga Impact.

"Shut up!" Alpha knocked him away with the exact same move.

_Just look away... _"What's that? In the capsule." I asked.

"What you all are looking for: the piece of Adam's soul. You can feel the malice coming off of it."

* * *

><p><em><span>Purifier Base Eric's POV<span>_

I noticed one of the Purifiers that got back to base was acting odd, and Matthew was gone.

"What's on your mind?"

"Eric, is that sword being studied right now?"

"No, it's in a case-"

"I have a feeling Curtis may need it. There are demons that trapped us at one point, and Curtis is still in the field with Matthew!" Normally I would have disregarded this for two reasons: Everyone but Curtis has gone crazy or died directly touching that thing, and that the study wasn't done yet, but I decided to go against my better judgement and let him go back to the field with the sword, making sure the blade was under enough layers in that case that it wouldn't do any damage to the guy.

* * *

><p><span><em>Maria's POV<em>

"...Belle." Alpha spoke.

"What?" She approached the demon looking like she wanted to fight as well as Mace. Why they were this eager I didn't know.

"What do you intend to gain from bringing Adam back?"

"Should I be looking for something to gain from helping others?"

"Then let me rephrase that: Why wake Adam when there is an inherent danger in doing so?"

"How do we know you're not lying to us about Adam having...whatever it was?"

"There is a book that was written by someone who is..not from around here. You can find the book just south of here. I will let you all go peacefully if Andrew here gives me Project SoulEye."

"I don't have it!" Alpha sighed at hearing this.

"Then should we get a hold of one of the Four? Ryan? Helena? Have them send it?"

"We don't negotiate with-" Alpha kicked Andrew again. The second he did it Mace, Belle, and that one Purifier took action. Mace used a Giga Impact to knock Alpha off his legs. Belle trapped Alpha in a ball of energy, and the Purifier helped Andrew up and away. In the distance I saw two Purifiers. One was holding a case with something in it and running toward the two Purifiers. The other just stood there, watching the whole thing from the top of a tree.

"No..." The ball Alpha was trapped in was starting to warp and redden. The bubble burst and Alpha broke free, but before he could stand, he screamed in pain, and that capsule glowed brightly.

"Alpha..." I hid behind Alex.

"Maria...run..." the demon clutched his head while looking at me. "Just run!"

"Come on!" Belle pushed us away. We started to run away, but that grieving feeling just kept growing and growing.

"We can't outrun him!" Mace gave up and stopped to face Alpha.

"What are you doing?!" I asked. We all stopped while Belle joined Mace. Soon the wicked, blood-lustful demon we first saw was approaching us with an unnerving smile stretching across his face.

_Dear Arceus..._

* * *

><p><em><span><strong>Battle Time! Curtis, Mace, and Belle vs Alpha Normal POV<strong>_

Before the transformed Alpha could lunge at Mace and Belle, Curtis caught up and swung at the demon with the black sword, albeit missing. The demon tried to claw the Purifier, but was forced back by Mace's Psycho Cut. Belle threw a few shots at the demon to keep him at bay. In a matter of seconds the demon was surrounded. Josh, Alex and Maria left to find Andrew.

_**"Heh heh heh...I am going to enjoy this." **_The demon lunged at Mace, over powering him with only a few Night Slashes. Curtis swept in and cut Alpha's bad leg, causing him to fall down. While the Curtis and Mace backed up Belle hit Alpha with a shock wave of energy. Despite this, nothing seemed to faze the demon.

_This sword has to be more than an ordinary blade,_ Curtis thought as the unharmed monster rose. Although the sword didn't kill or warp him like others before him, he could feel something coming from the blade. Alpha ran towards Belle, who teleported out of the way of Alpha's Shadow Claw, and struck him from behind. Feeling no pain, the demon turned and caught her in an Extrasensory attack. Mace rushed with a Stone Edge attack, only to have it stopped and deflected by Alpha's soul power, hurting the gallade. Curtis swung in the air and sent a black arc-shaped beam at Alpha, hitting Alpha's side bluntly and knocking him down.

"Don't you feel pain?!" Mace panted. The demon didn't answer. He got up, but that impact clearly did something as he held his side a little. The soul shard glowed even brighter, and the feeling of dread grew just the same.

"Get rid of that shard!" Curtis called to the other two. "It's corrupting him!" Curtis sent another beam, but ran with it, and slashed the demon just as he was recovering from the beam. Mace charged with Close Combat, but was blown away by a Hyper Beam. Alpha pursued Mace and almost made a fatal hit had Mace not been quick to recover. Mace hit the demon with a Psycho Cut, but was thrown into Belle. Curtis sent multiple beams at the demon, which seemed to hurt him more than anything else was.

_**"What..." **_The demon stared at the blade in the boy's hand. His mind was demented, but even in his current state he could remember where he saw that sword before. The two were locked in standoff for a few seconds, only broken by Mace's Psycho Cut breaking the chain that connected the capsule to Alpha. The capsule fell and broke, releasing the shard to fly out of sight. At the same time Alpha collapsed and straddled his head in pain.

"Alpha!" Curtis tried to talk some sense. "This isn't you! Fight it!"

_**"Ghn...Gah...Augh..." **_In ten agonizing seconds, the demon rose and stood upright with a loud gasp. The first thing he did was feel for the capsule that wasn't there. "What?! No!" The demon tried to run to pursue the escaping shard, but was trapped by the three, who pinned him down and captured him until Purifiers came and took him away.

* * *

><p><span><em>Maria's POV<em>

"Josh?" I called out. "Alex? Anyone?" I took a wrong turn and got separated from everyone. I couldn't see anyone through the darkness. "Anyone...Please..." It was a while before I saw a Purifier and ran over to him. But as I got closer, I saw that something about him was different. His uniform was worn and ripped in some areas. He was awfully bruised, and lots of the normally polished tools and equipment was rusty and dented. The man had blond hair, and unnaturally orange eyes.

"...Are you okay?" I asked him.

"...Define 'okay' for me." He responded. Confused, I wanted to ask him why he said that. "Would you like to sit?" He sat on a fallen tree, and invited me to do the same. There was no smile on his face, but I knew that he meant well.

"...What happened to you?" I wondered.

"The things I would tell you," he sighed.

"Try me."

"...Let me ask you something: Have you ever done something for one reason, and then get accused of a different, more 'unacceptable' motive?"

"...Yes, but maybe not in the same way you have."

"How so?"

"One day, about a year ago, my family was saying some...bad things about a relative that went missing long ago. When I defended family, they thought I lost my mind, and they kicked me out."

"I see..."

"What about you?"

"...I was once given two choices by someone close to me: Do do what was morally right, or do what was needed to defend the people I swore to protect. I chose the latter, failed, and was labeled 'merciless' in the eyes of my brothers and sisters."

"Wait, wouldn't protecting the people be morally right?"

"It wasn't that simple...it never is...Someday you'll understand that you can never know the truth about anything until you know the bigger picture. Only then can you make the right choices."

"If you could go back and change the past, would you?"

"...I'm not sure about that. Nothing has haunted me more than what I did and tried to do, but I'm not sure if there was a way around it."

"...What did you do?" He didn't answer. Instead he just looked up with a clear expression of regret. "...Who are you?"

"...You're with them, right? Josh, Alex?" He stood up, evidently holding back what he was feeling.

"How do you-"

"Make sure they sure that you and others you care for carefully question everything. The worst way to go is knowing you were lied to." Grey energy cocooned him, and he vanished.

_Who..._

"Maria!" Josh saw me. "There you are, we were looking for you."

"Josh..."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Let's go..."

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><p><strong>That's all for now! Leave a review, and see you all later!<strong>


	14. So Close, But So Far

**_Chapter Fourteen: So Close, But So Far_**

_Purifier Base Curtis' POV_

"This is the first time we've taken a demon as a prisoner?" I asked Helena. We had just gotten back to the base. The citizens were taken with us as well. On the way back I had found this weird book in the middle of the woods. None of the characters in the book were recognizable to me, but I felt that the Boss could decipher them.

"Yes...unfortunately..." Ryan sighed. It didn't take long for me to realize what he meant behind that, considering how long he's been on the job.

"...I heard that Ruby may be breaking out of her coma. Is that true?"

"The gardevoir? Well, she's expected to wake up by next week at latest, but I'll bet it'll take another few months. She has no medical reason to be in the coma, but she somehow can't wake up." Helena was very carefully holding a container that held the soul shard that we retrieved. This time it was in a special case to make sure nothing would affect the shard, and vice versa. "...Here's hoping that we can fix Adam..." While Ryan and Helena dropped the shard off to a different area, I went over to the citizens to see how they were doing. There were mixed feelings. Alex and Mace were talking about Alpha, Josh was writing in a journal of some kind while looking at another book. _Copying notes, maybe?_ Belle and Maria were talking about Adam, but occasionally, Maria would glance in my direction with no apparent reason. Since I seemed to be bothering her, I left.

While walking down the hall I studied the sword in my hands. Of all the people that were victims of its insanity curses and murderous darkness, it didn't do anything to me.

**...Curtis, correct? **I heard a voice in my head. I quickly looked around to see if anyone was near. **Don't be afraid, I'm not your enemy...at least not anymore.**

_Who...wait a second! You?!_

**To think that you would be the one is a very interesting thought?**

_The what?_

**As you know, that sword you carry has many powers embedded into it, much like the light counterpart Andrew possesses.**

_Why was I not affected? And how would you know anything?_

**First, I made both of those weapons. What wouldn't I know about them? Second, I cursed the blade so that only those who could control that power wisely would use it. Dark matter is a...volatile...thing, so the right precautions were needed.**

_...What else can you tell me?_

* * *

><p><span><em>Maria's POV<em>

"Something about that boy bothering you?" Belle asked with a smile.

"I'm just wondering how he could be a Purifier when he's only a year older than me." I answered, but when I saw her smile, I knew what she meant. "Really?"

"Oh come on, I can't have a little fun?"

"No," I joked.

"...So Josh."

"Huh?" He looked up from his book.

"What are you writing over there."

"Journal. I've had a long habit of writing these."

"How long?" I wondered.

"This is my fifth book..." Josh squinted at one of the entries. "...There's no way I wrote that..."

"Wrote what?" Belle asked.

"This." He showed me a entry from his diary. It was the exact same one Mace read to Belle and me when we visited that one building in the forest.

"You didn't write that?" I asked.

"No. After that night we went here instead of staying at the building. I left the journal there. I couldn't have written this."

"This is your handwriting..."

"...It looks so much like it...But I know this wasn't..." Helena walked up to us.

"Are you five fairing well?"

"Quite," Alex answered. "...Did you find anything out about Alpha?"

"Ryan is still interrogating the guy. But on my way out he did say some...interesting things."

"Did he tell you about his origin?" Mace grumbled.

"He did say a few things, but they sound incredibly far-fetched, even for our line of work."

"Like what?"

"...I've said too much. It's best if none of you get any more involved in this than you already are." She walked away.

"Do you believe him?" Belle asked me.

"What?"

"Do you think he came from Adam?"

"...I'm not sure what to believe anymore. I knew that demons and Purifiers existed, but there is just so much more to it than just that."

* * *

><p><em><span>Andrew's POV<span>_

Provided the footage coming from the screen and speakers, I'm kind of glad I stayed in my office instead of joining Ryan in Alpha's cell. Ryan was trying to get Alpha to say something other than his..."claims." Alpha was chained to a bench mounted to the wall, head bobbed, while Ryan stood in front of him.

"What do you know about Project SoulEye? How did you find out about its existence?"

"It was first revealed when Andrew told Adam and Ruby about it a year ago. He said that it would have given him an edge if things went ugly between him and Umbra Vis. When I freed myself, I stole more than enough records from your databases. I know every dirty little secret Andrew has tried to cover up." Ryan stood silent. noticing this, Alpha looked up at him. "You know what I mean by that. Do not act like you were never curious, let alone nosy at a time."

"...What are you really after?"

"Is it not obvious? You are making a serious mistake in trying to wake Adam. I've been in his head, I've cut his emotions and restored them."

"We are trying to bring back a victim."

"You are trying to open Pandora's Box! Even if the procedure is successful, he will not be the same! A massive power in already questionable hands was bad enough, and I silenced it! Allowing that power to go free is a death sentence to everyone!"

"...How do we know you aren't just playing a blank card?"

"Let the shard go bare for just a few seconds at most. I bet even you will feel what lies within a tiny shard alone, the one that used me like a puppet. I killed many of my own because of that piece of shit!"

"...I'll be back. Sit tight while the procedure is carried out."

"Are you insane?! You look the other way when your destruction is right there?!" Alpha continued to shout more at Ryan as he left, so I just turned the monitor off. Even though what he was saying may have just been a blatant attempt to stop an enemy, the last few seconds that the camera gave displayed that Alpha seemed genuinely...afraid. It didn't take long for me to consider what he was saying as possible truth, as it would have explained the "complications" that Matthew mentioned in containing the shard. After another minute of thinking to myself I called Helena.

"Yes, Boss? We're about to start the procedure. We have everything-"

"Hold off the procedure."

"What?"

"I want you to do one thing before anything else: Are you near the shard right now?"

"Yeah..." In the background Helena was telling everyone to wait.

"Open the shard container only a little bit, but not enough to let is escape."

"Okay..."

"Do you feel anything given off by that shard?"

"Well...Yeah...I do. It kind of feels like...Oh, God...Close it, Carly, close it."

"Have Eric ask our 'guests' if it's okay with them if we take time for further investigation."

"Sure...Hey Eric."

* * *

><p><span><em>Maria's POV<em>

"You want what?" I asked the Purifier.

"Are you really taking Alpha's word?" Belle added.

"Personally, I agree with you guys, but if there's anything the Boss is known for, it's his tendencies to take precautions. He's not asking to not stop entirely, he just wants to make sure that when we do it, it's done right and with certainty."

Even though I didn't like that they were holding up the one thing that stood between me and my cousin, I agreed. I didn't want Adam to get hurt in any way. After a while we left and went back to our homes. For some reason I couldn't take my mind off of Chris or whoever he was. Every time I would think about him Belle would snicker, thinking I liked him. What I didn't understand was why a kid slightly older than me was part of a group that fought demons. A phone rang, which Belle picked up.

"Hello? Oh...you...What do you want? Come again? Are you serious?! No!" Whoever she was talking to must not have been enjoyable, not that I had any idea who she was talking to. "Then maybe it was a bad idea to throw her out because someone disagreed with you for once." I remembered. "Don't use that against me. Neither of them would honestly agree with you, especially after your 'records' were made public...What? Five years ago. Don't you remember? Either that, or you were drunk when the complaints rolled in...You're drunk right now, aren't you?" Belle sighed. "Jenny is well aware of Maria, as is Mister Onyx...Again, everyone knows about what you'be done. It's actually a wonder how long Maria stayed with you, or anyone for that matter...Forget it." Belle shrugged as she hung up. "...To think that guy is your father...Sorry if-"

"It's fine," I stopped her. "I'm over it...I'm going to the Village Bridge."

"Do you need anything before you go?"

"I'm all set. Bye."

The long walk was incredibly relaxing. Everything about it was serene. A few pokemon followed me along the way, though none of them followed all the way. About halfway through the walk I started to think about life cooped up in Driftveil City. It seemed like this walk alone was better than any moment there. There was no annoying banter about pointless arguments, no yelling, no chaos, just sweet, sweet serenity. I had taken the walk many times, but it was only now that I took time to actually appreciate the silent peacefulness of it all.

"Well, look who's back." The chef smiled. "You haven't shown up for quite a while. What happened?"

"Well...Family matters."

"Ah...We missed you back at the bridge. You and Mace always put a smile on everyone's faces...Speaking of Mace, how's that little ralts?"

"He's...grown, for a lack of better word. Rather quickly, actually."

"Ho ho, he finally did it? I knew he'd make it someday. Come on in, we're just getting ready."

"Has Butterfingers gotten better at the knife?"

"No." We both laughed as we got set for a good day.

* * *

><p><span><em>Alpha's POV<em>

"No..." All I could do was struggle. Whatever the chains were made of was very strong. I couldn't break it with anything I tried. I even made an attempt at melting the part of the chains that were connected to the wall, but the heat was way too overwhelming. It was clear that they did not listen to a single thing I said. But there was nothing I could do. Even if the chains broke, I was sure that the cell bars were only stronger. I gave up just as Andrew walked up to me.

"What can you tell me about this?" I heard Andrew as he held a familiar book up to the cell.

"That book answered so many questions I have asked myself over the years. About your other captive, about the stars I told Ryan about earlier, and more than I cared to know about so many other subjects."

"...This is written in a dead language, one that didn't even originate from this world. How did you learn to read it?"

"You already know that Adam has a piece of something you are after."

"The part of a relic that grants power and many things, et cetera, et cetera, what about it?"

"The piece Adam has gives a literal interpretation of the phrase 'knowledge is power.' I learned how to read that book from the knowledge locked in that piece. As for Adam...he has not learned, but he could...had it not been for that book and my work, Adam and Ruby probably would have never met the other six, and would look at you in a very different, more antagonistic way."

"What would you know about what would have been?"

"Do not take my word for it, ask that ghost. That is one of his powers, right? Predicting what would have been?" Andrew did not answer. Instead he just left without saying a word. "Be sure to keep a close eye on that book. It has a tendency to vanish." I had serious doubts that I would get out of here anytime soon, but I was hoping for anything.

* * *

><p><span><em>White Forest Mace's POV<em>

Night fell much faster than I thought it would. "Something on your mind, Mace?" Belle asked.

"...It's about Alpha. To think that he was the one that took away everyone I knew. It was him, but it wasn't..._**Ugh.** _It makes my head hurt!"

"Are you sure it isn't from getting dinged up?"

"Maybe...What would it have been like for him, being warped and all?"

"That's probably not something to think about."

"What's that smell?" I asked.

"Is it smoke? Because dinner is burned. There goes the last of the meat."

"Oh...What do you think we're going to do after Adam wakes up?"

"Huh?"

"Well, after Adam recovers from missing more than a year of his life, I'm not sure what to do. Maria's been after trying to wake Adam for so long, I doubt she's thought about anything that would happen after doing so. And this whole time I tried to avenge my friends and family, and lost like a...Sure, we turned him in, but what now?"

"...Well, it's never too early to start thinking. I think that's one of the interesting parts or life: There's no sure way of knowing what's ahead of you."

"That doesn't help very much."

"I'm sure you'll find your answer sometime."

"Have you?"

"Yes. I've loved this place ever since I moved here, when the group disbanded. This is one place I'd love to grow old in."

"Ah..."

"Hey." Maria came back with a whole bunch of berry sandwiches.

"Hey, Maria...what's with the sandwiches?"

"We made too many today, so the chef let me take home some of the leftovers."

"How did the other guy do?"

"No dismembered parts, so I guess it's a good day for him." We all giggled.

* * *

><p><em><span>Curtis' POV<span>_

"...Anyone else feel movement?" I asked a couple Purifiers at dinner.

"No...Is Luc moving the table?"

"It's not the table. It..." I felt the ground. "...This base was built _away _from a fault, right?"

"Yeah...It's just your imagination, kid. Don't-"

"Wait...I feel it, too." Another Purifier took a bite of his lettuce wrap and felt the ground again. "...Yeah, that's not normal."

"I'll tell Brian. I'm pretty much done anyway." Just as I put my tray on the counter, the lights went out, and everything went dark. "...Isn't that whodunit game scheduled for next Thursday?"

"Yup."

"No worries, I'll find him." I felt my way around the halls without trying to hit anything. Thankfully I bumped into an unlocked set of emergency lights along the way, so it was easier to navigate. Eventually I made it to the bottom level where the generator was. "Hey, Brian."

"I've been on it. I'm switching to the backup generator."

"What's with the regular one?"

"I don't know...I'll look into it once this is...done!" A few backup lights turned on, giving the people inside the pitch dark facilities some light. "I'll try and find out what happened. It shouldn't be too bad.

"Hey! Get back here!" I heard Helena call out from above.

"What is it?" I asked, walking back up the steps.

"Alpha escaped!"

"Really..." I raced up the rest of the steps. Helena threw me some brass knuckles.

"You keep pursuing him this way. I'll try and trap him from the front." Helena vanished into another hallway as I ran towards the demon. What was odd was that, despite the speed he displayed in our fight, I was actually gaining on him. I pursued with caution, knowing that he was likely luring me in. I was right. When I saw him stop and turn I jumped to the side to avoid his Night Slash, and struck him in the side of the head. He kicked me away and kept running. While getting up I pulled out a Xtransceiver.

"Boss! Helena! Ryan! Eric! Matthew!" They all answered. "Alpha broke free when the power gave out. Are any of you guarding Project SoulEye or Adam?!"

"I have the Eye with me!" The Boss replied.

"Ryan and I see Adam's room." Helena answered. "We'll protect him."

"Where's Alpha?!" Matthew asked.

"He's heading toward Eric's barracks...Be careful though, he can use pokemon moves. If his claims are true, he should have the same the same powers as Adam."

**...I'm on my way.**

* * *

><p><strong>Randomind: ...To be honest, even though there are only a few chapters left, I might consider putting this story up for adoption for someone else to finish. I'm not for certain, but I'd at least like to hear something from the readers. I don't want to continue this if all it's just going to be is a lousy story that crashes and burns in vain. I just want to hear something from you guys so I know whether or not this is a lost cause. Please leave something, and see you guys later...<strong>


	15. Dangerous Thoughts

**_Chapter Fifteen: Dangerous Thoughts_**

_Purifier Base Alpha's POV_

I made a mental note in my head to take care of my leg. I was lucky to get out of the Purifiers' sight, but I had to escape at the very least. Thankfully standing on the ceiling's steel beams gave me near-invisibility. No lights could shine above there. I had no clue what caused the blackout, but I had no reason to complain. With prior knowledge of the base thanks to Adam and his friends having been here before, I stood a good chance at getting out of here.

_I have to get out of here,_ I thought, _but It would be best to take out Adam while he cannot do anything._ I noticed every Feared Four member, along with Curtis and Andrew, heading to different areas. _Dammit. How am I supposed to take them all on?_

**Alpha?** I heard Ben's voice in my head.

_Ben? What are you doing around here?_

**We wanted to see if the base location you told us about was right. It was. Are you escaping the Purifiers?**

_I was, but I have something to do first._

**Lemme help.**

_No! You will get yourself killed...You sound horrible._

**I was bashed in the head by that kid.**

_I told you not to get cocky...Go home and wait for the symptoms to kick in._

**You're still gonna need some help. I can see the outside, and there's no way in hell you're getting past all that.**

_...How many demons are with you?_

**About half of all of them.**

_Try to distract the Purifiers, but do not let anyone get killed._

**Okay.** It took a few minutes before Eric and Matthew were called outside. I still had to lead the other four away from Adam's chambers.

"...Curtis, Ryan," Andrew spoke, "Since Matthew and Eric are outside, I'll need you two to guard Project SoulEye...Apprehend anyone who approaches, even if it's me."

"Yes, Boss." They both left, leaving only Andrew and Helena to guard Adam. My odds were much better now, but there was no way I could have another chance like this. I needed at least one of them gone.

_Think, Think!_ Getting closer to my destination, I created an illusion of myself to walk run in the direction of Curtis and Ryan. Helena ran, but Five o' Clock Shadow stayed put and just phoned Ryan and Curtis while putting himself inside the doorway. _Come on!_ I groaned in my head. Time was critical, and it would not be long before I lose my window of opportunity. It looked like Andrew was still talking despite having Helena leave a while ago.

"How is the front, Eric?"

"Not so good, Boss! We need the main generator back up or they'll plow us over!"

"How are the demons-"

"Every hit they deal is at a weak spot. There fighting styles are different. Some of our tactics are being used against us. Alpha wasn't lying, he knows too much." Hearing this made me smile a little. Despite having weapons with the ability to harm and even kill ghosts (and that I specifically told the demons to only distract the Purifiers), these suckers were being overpowered by demons with powers that the Purifiers had already dealt with regularly.

"If you see Alpha, kill him on the spot, no questions."

"What about the current situ-" A loud crashing sound was heard through the speakers. Something heavy was thrown near him. "...Situation..."

"...I have one idea, but it's extremely risky. Just hold on for just another minute." Andrew looked to the sides of the walls. He noticed something, but was disappointed that it was too far away. All I could do was lie in wait above him, and prepare for just the right time to go in for the kill.

_Come on...Go get it..._ If there was one game I hated, it was the waiting game. This would not be such a big deal if I was not pressed for time, and if there were not very ominous voices in my head. The voices were the worst part, since I knew what came after them. I started to panic a little. I was not prepared for another mental attack, much less inside the center of the enemy faction.

Luckily, Andrew made the mistake of breaking from his position, allowing a desperate me to drop down from the beams. Somehow I was able to land nearly silently, and Andrew didn't notice. He would soon come back with what he left for, so I went into the room and found my ex-host lying on the bed. I quickly made a knife out of energy. Before I could even scratch him, my head felt like it was going to explode, and my ears rang. Everything nerve felt like it was on fire. By instinct I left the room and tried to keep my head together.

"Hey! Hands up!" Andrew shouted at me. He was running towards me with two things in his hands. I simply ran off, sucking up the pain of my leg (and everything else) and trying my best not to trip. It took about two full minutes of running before I could concentrate enough to actually hide myself. I made myself vanish, and took time to find a way out of here. I blew my one chance to kill Adam at his worst. I felt sorry for the suckers who had to watch over him constantly. Trying to focus, I looked for a map or something. I had no idea were I was, and trying to loudly burst through metal walls would not end well.

_No worries,_ I thought to myself, _I can sneak out as long as I go un-_

_**So you came back... **_I heard a familiar voice. The distorted and somewhat deep voice was not hard to recognize.

_Shit! _I immediately called Ben. _Ben, get everyone away from here!_

**Did you manage-**

_No! Just go! They are releasing Umbra Vis!_

**What?! _The _Umbra-**

_Yes, Now go! Tell everyone to get out of there-_ A mass of pitch black flung across the hall and past my hiding spot. It was covered in dark violet flames.

_**Where are you...**_

_Arceus dammit! _I made a quick dash to another section of the base. I speed-walked around in hopes of finding an exit.

**Don't worry, we'll get you-**

_I told you to go! If he sees you guys, you will be dead in no time! Get away from here and-_ I stopped in front of the very entity I wanted to avoid. Standing in front of me was a tall phantom, a solid silhouette, covered in the lavender fire I saw earlier. Two white eyes glowing brightly were staring me down.

_**I believe we have some unfinished business, correct? **_Even though he was a silhouette, it took little to realize how angry he was. I blasted him with a pulse of soul power and made a run for it. The closest exit was blocked by more fire, and the only other exit was on the other side of the hall. I couldn't teleport since I had no idea what the other rooms looked like. _**What's wrong? The last time we saw each other, you were quite the confident one. **_The ghost approached me at a walking pace. **_It's just you and me now._**

_Ah, Fuck..._

* * *

><p><span><em>Curtis' POV<em>

Being bored was never worth complaining about at a time like this, but I was bored. Guarding a glowing marble provided all the excitement one could ever need. As thrilling as being stuck here was, I had no problem staying away from the front lines. Things were supposedly going bad there.

"Curtis...Have you ever questioned if we were doing the right thing?" Ryan turned to me.

"I always thought we were. Are you loosing faith in the faction?"

"Maybe...I just wonder if what we're doing is worth it. We put many lives at stake just to contain demons, a minority that doesn't exist in the eyes of the public."

"We do it to protect the people."

"We do it because Andrew doesn't trust anyone."

"Ryan, do you remember the stories of Limbo? A demon tore down that realm on his own."

"One. Think, Curtis, one. One demon did that. Not a group, not an army, just one."

"All the more reason to be careful!"

"One demon that was ignored multiple times when the threat was obvious! And sixty-something years later, here we are, using that one example to judge an entire group."

"Ryan-"

"How do you justify taking demons, no, people who had mere hours of the free life we have every day before being captured and either killed or thrown into a congested area of other prisoners?!" I stood silent. As much as I wanted to explain it, I only remembered my own world's history. Maybe he was right. "This is a serious problem. If we keep this up, it will come back to haunt us."

"...What about the other side. They aren't exactly preaching peace."

"I'm just afraid of the day when we turn into the very thing we try to prevent...We're getting close."

"Ryan, what makes you think that?"

"...More than one and a half years ago, I was told to clean up some junk files because Matthew was too busy to do it himself. In the files I found some...disturbing things in there."

"Like what?"

"...No. I can't let you know. Save yourself the trouble."

"How bad?"

"Curtis, forget what I said!" The sudden snap scared me a little. "Sorry...It's best if you know nothing." Suddenly there was a loud crashing sound coming from the other end of the hallway.

"...What was that?"

"Forget it. Let's just stand guard until this blows over."

* * *

><p><span><em>Alpha's POV<em>

A quick jump to the left saved me from being crushed into the ground by Umbra Vis. This being had no solid matter, and he punched a six-inch hole in the ground. I cringed imagining having to fight him alive. His face was not visible, but his eyes displayed the joy and irony of my situation.

_**Remember when we first met?** _Umbra Vis cornered me.**_ You taunted me while soiling all my efforts, bragging that I was no better than the demon that destroyed my home._**

"Was what I said not true, though? You _were_ doing more harm than good." I dodged a kick. "And for what, a piece of a relic that would have been useless anyway?"

_**What would you know?**_

"I was Adam's demon, remember?" I jumped over him and darted back, only to remember the blocked exit. "I was also exposed to that piece. All that knowledge, all of which you already knew, is in my head."

_**If you truly had all that knowledge, you would have known why I sought it. There's more to the relic than just those two halves.**_

"What?"

_**The whole 'relic' is just a quarter of the entire thing. Some say that its light can be seen from the deepest depths of hell.**_ I tried to jump away again, but the ghost caught me by my good leg. **_Would you like to see for yourself?_** A knife made of pitch black rock formed in his hand. I quickly created a bunch of needles and stuck them all over him. He let go of me in reaction to the pain, and I ran a little ways from him, clutching my leg.

_I can picture the other end of the doorway,_ I thought_, but I need to see what's there in order to teleport._

_**You are a sneaky one.** _I heard the ghost behind me.**_ But I have taken worse in both life and death._**

_...Here goes nothing._ I warped past the barrier, and luckily did not fuse with anything. Thankfully I saw a window and climbed up to it. Then I was able to teleport out of the base and into safety. With some hasty pushing, and the sight of Umbra Vis rising from the base, we all left. Aside from some one getting a broken arm, nobody got hurt. We waited to talk until we made it to the spot the demons gathered on those rare occasions. Everyone had shock in their eyes. The entity that nearly every demon feared was in alliance with the one syndicate we all hated so much.

"Well, what do we do now?!" Someone asked.

"...Adam is going to be revived, there is no way to stop that now. What we can do is try to make peace."

"Are you kidding?!" Ben looked at me like I was insane.

"I have been in that base before I gained my independence. Not everyone is so resolute. If they realize that fighting is pointless, we will have a chance at having genuine freedom."

"How are we going to convince them?"

"The one thing standing in our way is Andrew. He is completely dedicated to containing us, and he will not stop until we are reduced to nothing."

"So how are we going to kill him?" Someone else asked. She had quite a skeptical tone.

"We will not. Instead, we turn his closest allies against him." Some of the demons laughed, most of the others shook their heads.

"I think Alpha's been eating some bad berries," somebody remarked.

"Think about it, people. How many of you have some dark secret nobody else knows?" The crowd became a little more quiet. "Was it something you did to someone? Something you said behind one's back? Something you thought about someone?" Everyone fell silent. "Yes, even 'those' thoughts?" I said with a smirk. Somehow it got even quieter. "Chances are I know that secret. It would be a shame if I revealed those secrets to everyone here, would it not?" There was a feeling of nervousness among everyone. "See? Now imagine what kind of secrets Andrew, a control freak and the head of a faction more powerful than the police force, has locked away. Think about what would happen if his soldiers knew the true colors of their leader."

"How would we get those secrets out?" Ben wondered. "How do we know if there's any shit to even find?"

"Oh, there is more than enough. I was a witness of one of his dirty tricks, it just took me until recently to realize it."

"Really? Tell us more."

"It was a long time ago..."

* * *

><p><em><span>Curtis' POV<span>_

Needless to say, the Boss was mad. A militarized faction like us had no reason to fall under so easily. What the demons did was a guerrilla attack at best, and we were nearly forced to retreat. Someone was going to pay tonight. Nobody could get the generator up and running until _after_ we released a violent spirit that took six years to track, a week to corner, and a few lives to apprehend, including the life of a civilian. Luckily the ghost took a long time to cool off, and although he returned to us with no harmful intent, that didn't change the Boss' attitude towards the situation.

"What the hell was wrong with the generator?!" Andrew shouted from the generator room.

"It took me a while to find out. Take a look at this." As Matthew pulled something out, I walked over to see what it was. It was a device with several switches, one being a timer, and multiple wires and electrodes. "This machine was planted on the side facing the wall."

"Are you saying a demon planted this here, despite all our defenses being active at the time?!"

"No. I think this was an inside job. I checked the camera footage and sensors, and the only demon in the base before the blackout was an imprisoned Alpha. The sensors don't lie." This only frustrated the Boss more. As if a vulnerable power grid and humiliation by the enemy wasn't bad enough, now there was a traitor among the Purifiers.

"Matthew. Your next assignment is to track down and apprehend who did this. Leave no stone unturned."

"Understood, Boss." The Boss left the room and noticed me.

"Curtis...did you see anyone here before or during the blackout?"

"Brian was in here switching the backup system on after the blackout."

"...Thanks." He walked off without saying anything else. As he left a feeling of regret washed over me, as if I should have just pretended that I wasn't there. Andrew always considered criminals innocent until proven guilty, but there was one time he ignored that principle.

"Don't worry about it, Curtis." Matthew sighed. "What kind of motive would Brian have to hinder us?" I stood silent and started to think about what Alpha said about Adam. At first his claims seemed like utter bullshit, but the more I thought about it, the more worried I became.

All the complications in the medical wing had Adam in the epicenter, and each attack caused unexplained lashes of anger within normally happy people for (seemingly) no particular reason. When Alpha fell under his crazed state, the removal of the shard of Adam's soul snapped him out of it. When the faction located Adam and Ruby with the other six, none of us took action, despite Derek's clear presence there, until Adam had a means of accessing the star Alpha feared so much: Soul power. Everyone in the know of any of this, including me, was sworn into secrecy. Every piece of data regarding important events circling Adam were either destroyed or classified.

_...Ryan,_ I thought,_ do you know something we don't?_

* * *

><p><strong>This story is starting to wrap up (it's not done yet, but we're getting there.) Please leave a review, and see you all later!<strong>


	16. The Decline Begins

**Sorry I'm late. School stuff...Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong><span><em>Chapter Sixteen: The Decline Begins<em>**

_Purifier Base Normal POV_

"Wasn't that going too far?!" Ryan was loosing his patience. The Feared Four and Andrew were in his office. Although nobody was in a good mood, most of the talking was between Ryan and Andrew, who were clearly on different sides.

"No chances are to be taken-"

"What chance?!" Ryan interrupted his boss. "The chance that he could have been innocent?! He was never even given a fair trial!"

"The evidence-"

"The 'evidence' was circumstantial at best!"

"We couldn't read his mind. I could, but I was the accuser."

"We have lie detectors! Hell, we have truth sera!"

"The lie detectors are still unreliable, and usage of truth sera is a strict violation of code."

"You ordered one of our own dead without trial and you're scolding me about code violation?!"

"Scolding?! You are not a little boy anymore! Think about the situation we're in! The enemy has made us bleed! They will rally and attack us head on if we do not act accordingly!"

"You don't think I know how deep we are in shit right now?!" The other three of the Feared Four turned to Ryan with a small interest. "We're chest high! Not just because of the demons, but from the public!"

"The public already hates us," Helena explained.

"And now they do more than ever!" Ryan slid some newspaper over to Andrew. "Remember when Derek escaped our sights almost two years ago? He's gone public. The once-face of the genocidal mercenaries we became known for is now a hero for revealing the truth!" At first Andrew just sat there in shock at the sight of the front page. We're not just some racist cult in their eyes anymore, Boss! They're throwing around words such as 'extremists!' It's over!"

"It's not over until-"

"Until what?! Every last one of us is dead?! Until we lose everything we worked for?! We already have! Alder just made the executive order: Any acting Purifier, as well as anyone with a direct connection to said Purifiers, is to be killed on sight. No questions asked. Not many people have spoken against it, either!" Everyone was silent after all that.

"...So what do we do now?" Matthew sighed.

"...It's clear that we are not welcome anymore...Did you withdraw anyone in the field?"

"Everyone. There was even some trouble in the business sectors, so I had to take everyone from there, too. All Purifiers should be off the grid."

"What about the underwater mining squads?" Andrew looked to Helena.

"We're still mining, but we can limit our operations to only searching for essential materials."

"And are current operations invisible to the public?"

"If they have anything that can track our units, they deserve to catch us."

"Let's not forget that Derek can tell things that nobody else has been able to do." Matthew spoke up. "If we send anyone outside the base, they run a very real risk of getting killed by the people we used to protect."

"We only need enough time to neutralize the threat of the demons." Andrew stood and threw the paper away. "Then we will leave."

"To where?" Ryan asked.

"We have a number of places where we could go," Eric said, "assuming we intend to keep the faction alive by then."

"...How do you propose that we stop the threat of demons?" Ryan got Andrew's attention. "The only incidents have been with individual people, very few, in fact. If we attack an entire group of people just like that, nobody will take kindly to that."

"Ryan," Andrew spoke, "Even if the public believed Derek, they would still greatly fear the demons. Nobody will take their side."

"Remember when human-pokemon couples were frowned upon? People feared halflings very much. Sure, people stopped caring, but not after some major headlines and mysteries came about. There were even riots defending what others saw as crimes against nature. In the end, those couples and halflings got the respect they struggled for."

"What does this have to do with our current situation?"

"Think about this: When the fear of halflings arose, they were concentrated to a point and forced to fend for themselves. Eventually they rose up and showed the people who they really were. Halflings were then killed, riots happened, front headlines galore, people get an inside scoop of these people's true colors, and the rest is history. History repeats itself."

"I have serious doubts anyone would take kindly to demons," Eric sighed.

"They might...personally, I've started to question whether we were right to act in the first place. Acting out of fear of another disaster like...then..."

"...For now, we stand our ground. Tell all units about our situation. I want nobody outside the base until we come up with a plan. Dismissed." The four of us left. Eric went to check on Curtis and tell him the news.

"Hey, Curtis, I've got some bad news...Curtis?" He wasn't in the room, but his roomate was. "Hey, Margo, have you seen Curtis?"

"Yeah, he said he was going to ensure the safety of a couple civilians of something. He said something about the public being pissed at us...What...Why are you looking at me like that? Was he supposed to be somewhere else?"

"...Where did he go?"

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><p><span><em>White Forest Maria's POV<em>

It was two in the morning and I couldn't sleep. I was tired for the whole day, and now that I was in bed I couldn't sleep. Lovely. It was pitch dark out, and I couldn't see a thing. I tried anything I could do, but I just couldn't get comfortable. There wasn't a single sound to be heard. It was almost too quiet.

**Can't sleep? **Mace asked with telepathy.

_Nope, and I don't know why...Did I wake you up?_

**Yeah, but it's okay. Need help?**

_ Do you know Hypnosis or something?_

**Sorry, I don't know that. Maybe drink some warm milk.**

_Ugh, no. Have you even tried that? It's gross!_

**Not unrefrigerated milk. What you do is take a microwave-safe cup, fill it with milk, and turn the microwave on for a few seconds.**

_Oh..._

**I honestly don't get how you thought...ugh. Usually I'm the one who screws that stuff up. **After doing what Mace said and taking a few swigs of milk, I tried to go back to sleep. Another half-hour of failure crawled by, and I was still wide awake. I wanted to shrug so loud, but I didn't want to wake Belle up. **Still?!**

_Still._

**...Should we go for a walk, maybe?**

_The last time we did that, we got attacked by a demon._

**That demon was crazy. Besides, he's locked up by the Purifiers.**

_I still don't think..._

**Suit yourself.**

_...On second thought, let's. I'll probably get tired that way. _We decided to walk out, but not before leaving a note for Belle just in case she woke wondering where we were. We weren't going that far, just a lap or two around White Forest. The woods were pretty calm. There was almost no noise at all. Only a few pokemon were moving around, and even they were quiet.

"...You know, this actually feels really nice. It's just so quiet, nothing bothering us, no problems...why couldn't there be more times like this?"

"Well, it's not like we didn't get any good out of the rough times. We found out what happened to your cousin, and now he'll be back up soon. We also met a few others. Did you hear that Josh and Belle are dating?"

"No, when did that happen?"

"Day before yesterday. They tried to make it secret, but I have good ears."

"Aw..."

"...Can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Do you like Curtis?"

"Purifier Curtis? No."

"You don't?"

"No. I'll admit he's a little cute, but I don't genuinely like him. Besides, he's almost two years older than me."

"Oh."

"...Do you like someone?"

"No. I just never found anyone."

"Huh...Do you think Adam liked anyone?"

"Probably Ruby, I mean, they've been friends since they were five. Something had to bloom out of that."

"Yeah...What if it already has?" I laughed a little.

"That would make sense. I wonder how both of them will react to how much they've changed." We both tried not to wake anyone up with our laughter. "Almost two whole years...that's a long time to be in a coma."

"Yeah. I couldn't imagine what that would be like. It must not be a good feeling."

"It probably isn't. The thought of being forced into unconsciousness for so long..." Mace shuddered.

"...We should head back before-"

**Before what?** I heard Belle in my head.

_Oh..._

**I found your note. Next time, don't be afraid to wake me up and let me know.**

_Sorry...Wait..._

**What?**

"Mace, do you see someone?"

"Where?"

"Right there." There was a man sitting on the ground with his back against a tree.

"Yeah...Is he wounded?!"

"He is!"

**Get him up! I'll be there to get him to the pokemon center!** We managed to help the man up, who was barely conscious, but couldn't move him. It took a minute for Belle to make it here so we could actually move him to the pokemon center, albeit against the man's consent. He kept insisting with what little strength he had to not take him there, but we knew that he'd die if we didn't help him. We all came to check on him the night after.

"...So...How is he, Nurse?" I shyly asked.

"He's fine...Were you the three that brought him here last night?"

"Yes," Mace answered.

"I see...Did he have any sort of identification?"

"We didn't check," Belle explained. We just saw him bleeding badly, so we brought him here. Did he lose something?"

"No. I can take you to him if you want."

"Sure, let's see him." Mace said. When we were led to his room. It was hard to get a read on his face, but I knew joy wasn't what he was feeling.

"...You came to visit me..."

"You are set to leave whenever you are ready, sir." The nurse left.

"We wanted to know how you were feeling." I explained

"None of you know who I am." The man answered.

"You were bleeding to death. We couldn't just let you die."

"...The things I would tell you..."

"...Who are you?"

"...Is there somewhere else where we could discuss this further?"

"Sure." We led the man to our home. There was a small smile on his face, but it faded quickly. He stayed close to the door. "So...like I asked earlier, just who are you?" It was only for a second, but the man looked at me for only a split second.

"...If I tell you, will you promise not to say anything to anyone?"

"...Promise." We each said. The man took a deep breath in a futile attempt to lessen his nervousness.

"..I was a mercenary that took on many assassination missions. Many of these murders were unknown or just framed as an accident. Eventually some of my missions were revealed, and I couldn't show my face outside of the military compound when off duty."

"...What else?" I asked.

"Before I was 'fired,' I was given one last task: to observe one target in particular, and only carry out the rest of the mission once given the green light. I was never given that light. Instead I revealed myself trying to save my comrades from getting killed. I failed."

"...Who are you?" Belle asked. I was starting to worry a little that this wasn't going to end well.

"...Do you really want to know?"

"Yes."

"My name..." He sighed. "...Derek Belhumeur." There was a short silence. I felt a mix of different emotions, mostly anger. Belle's nails were digging into the counter.

"So you're the one who killed John and Clara." Mace grumbled.

"Yes...Truthfully, not a day goes by when the event doesn't haunt me."

"...Why did you do it?" I asked. I tried my best not to snap.

"I truly didn't want to, but...this may sound crazy, but there are people who dislike halflings and human-pokemon couples more than I do." That was hard to believe considering the stuff I heard about this person. "Those people apprehended John and Clara while I tried to go for the one reason I was there in the first place. After failing to succeed, I stopped my comrades from doing any harm to them."

"So you just wanted to kill them yourself?!" I said through my teeth.

"I wanted them alive, but I was surrounded by people who wanted their souls destroyed. Being burned is a horrible way to go, but at least I allowed them to live in the afterlife. Shortly after, everyone was captured or killed, and the rest is history."

"...Was the intended target Adam?" Belle asked.

"Yes...Alpha already told you why."

"How do you know about..." Belle looked at me.

"He helped me when I got lost when we bumped into Alpha." I turned back to Derek. "Was it because of the star?"

"That was why..." Derek looked at me with a hint of sadness. "I don't expect any of you to forgive me for what I've done, but while I'm here, I might as well warn you of something: Be very careful about what Andrew says to you."

"What do you mean?" Mace asked.

"It says something about him that he claims to fight for the people, but keeps said people in the dark."

"Like what?" I wondered.

"The existence of demons. It may seem like common knowledge to you, but your neighbor would laugh at you if you tried to tell him the truth."

"So what are you going to do now?" Belle asked. She still gave a cold glare at him.

"Before I try to start anew, I want to show the public who Andrew really is." Something about what he said felt eerie. "...I'm sorry for what I did, but I hope you can forgive me." Derek opened the door to leave, only to reveal Josh, who was about to open the door, too.

"...What are you doing here?" Josh asked with an angry look. By the looks of him, I was surprised he didn't punch Derek right then.

"...I was going to leave."

"Why are you here?"

"He was severely injured." Mace spoke up. "We let him stay here for a while after he recovered."

"...Did he explain who he was?"

"I did. They know everything." Josh stepped to the side to let Derek leave. Before he left, he turned back to us and said, "I'm sorry...please be cautious...these are dark times." After he left, Josh shut the door, clearly disturbed.

"That man...how..."

"We know what he did, Josh, but we can't hold a grudge forever."

"That's easy for you to say. He hasn't tried to kill you...Have you seen Alex anywhere, I can't-" Someone knocked on the door. Josh hastily swung the door open expecting Derek, but instead Curtis was at the door. He out of his uniform and had a small worried look on his face. "The hell is wrong with you?" Josh asked rudely.

"Have any of you seen the news recently?" Curtis asked.

"No...why?" Belle asked.

"Alder just made an executive order. Any Purifier identified in public, as well as anyone with a direct connection to the faction, will be shot on sight. No questions asked."

"So why tell us?"

"Someone sold you all out." Curtis looked at Josh and Belle. "If you want to live, you'll need to leave."

"To where?!" I asked.

"I don't know, and I'd rather not know."

"What about you?" Mace wondered.

"Nobody even knows I exist, so I'm fine."

"Why would they make this order in the first place?" Belle asked. "Wasn't the government already aware of the Purifiers' existence?"

"Not the military branch you're familiar with. To most people, we were just a massive business. Now we're fugitives."

"Wait," Josh shook his head. "I don't under-"

"It's not that complicated, Josh. You can either vanish or die. The same goes for the rest of you!"

"How are we going to stay in touch with-"

"Don't. It's volatile back at the base. Yesterday a Purifier was just executed without trial by our own. The evidence against him was completely circumstantial. Forget you ever knew us. Just pack your stuff, ditch this place, and go where nobody will find you."

"Why would Andrew not tell them about-"

"I don't know! I'm going against orders just being here! I'm supposed to be asleep! I'm certain that people are coming for you, just go!" We were tired of asking questions, so packed up just essential things, and lost ourselves into the woods, making sure nobody was following us. Curtis went elsewhere. I kept a slightly faster pace, but I made sure I was somewhat close to the others.

"Who could have known that we were connected to..." Josh was thinking hard. It seemed to click into his head in a second. "Son of a bitch! Derek!"

"What?" Mace asked. Everyone was starting to get a little tired from running.

"Derek revealed the Purifiers to get back at Andrew! He went into the forest to warn us."

"About what?" We stopped after hearing a voice in front of us. There stood Alpha, making a slight grin. "About the police running your asses down?"

"W-What?!" Belle stuttered. "But you were just-"

"I got out, as you can see. My luck is beginning to turn...somewhat."

"Where's Alex?!" Josh demanded.

"Who knows? Maybe the people got him. Maybe he was gunned down by the police. Honestly your guess is as good as mine." This only made Josh angrier. "...Seriously, I have no idea where he is."

"Josh, don't let him get to you." I tugged his arm a little to distract him.

"Why are you here?"

"To get some fresh air. Now that Derek revealed the whole truth to the authorities, none of the officers, or anyone in the army, have become brave enough to step in where the Purifiers used to be."

"Used to?" I asked.

"All the forces retreated back to their hub. It will not take long before they are overrun by the police."

"Do you really think the Purifiers would lose to them?" Belle asked Alpha.

"Of course not. Why would they not open fire on government authorities? Front page news is overrated anyway."

"Why do you still have that stupid smirk?!" Mace snapped.

"I learned so many things," his smile grew a little. "Care to hear what I have to say?"

* * *

><p><strong>Please leave a review, see you later!<strong>


	17. A New Light On An Old Subject

**_Chapter Seventeen: A New Light On An Old Subject_**

_Unova Police Station Normal POV_

"So this boy knows a bit about the Purifiers..." One of the officers was observing through a one-way window one boy in particular, who was being interrogated in another room. "Is this the one Derek pointed out, Jenny?"

"This is the one. Apparently there are six others that were close to them, to."

"Six? I heard seven."

"One of them died a couple years ago."

"Oh...I don't mean to be rude, but I don't think it's a good idea to be taking help from someone like Derek."

"He opened our eyes. The things he revealed explain so much. The controlled export business, John and Clara's murder, even the fact that people who have been supposedly dead for years have been spotted in plain sight, and then vanish so easily."

"The man is a professional spy. He's admitted to killing many that weren't any of those demons or whatever the hell they are."

"There are many other Purifiers that are still on Andrew's side. Are we going to just let them grow when they already exceed government powers?! Team Rocket and Team Galactic needed pokemon. Those people are armed to the teeth without them."

"And what about the demons that these Purifiers have been fighting? If they're so powerful, what happens when the faction dissolves?"

"Derek's records show more than enough about their strengths and weaknesses. We'll be fine. Besides, Derek mentioned that there was one demon in particular that could actually help us."

"...Are you feeling okay? This isn't like you."

"...The Purifiers have the potential to wipe everyone out. If we don't act, they just might...We need every source of information we can get."

"Where did Derek go?"

"He went to find that one demon, along with anyone else who could help us. I told him to let us know if anything went wrong."

"Didn't he once say that he had an adopted son or something?"

* * *

><p><em><span>Unknown Place Unknown POV<span>_

The bright and endless void was now somewhat in focus. I was somewhere not-too-well-lit. Although I couldn't recall any of my memories, I was starting to make sense out of everything around me. Eventually my sight was clear. I was in some sort of hallway, with the lights dimly illuminating what could be seen. Some parts of me felt numb, but at least I began to actually feel something. Walking through the halls, I saw lots of soldiers injured. I saw someone walking down the hallway with a less-than-joyous look on her face.

"What happened here?" I tried to ask her, but she just walked past me, not even seeing me right in front of her. It was like I was invisible. Somehow no sound came out of my mouth, not even the sound of myself breathing. I shifted my feet, but there was no sound. I looked in one of the hall mirrors to see if something was on my face, or some reason why she didn't notice me despite being right in front of her..

I couldn't see myself in the mirror.

Confused, I tried to get anyone's attention, but nobody noticed me. The numbness spread a little while I was making a futile effort to get someone to acknowledge my presence. Although my senses were blurry before I moved, I had a good idea of where I started. Retracing my steps to the best of my ability, I wound up at a room that looked a little different from the others. All I saw there was someone lying in a bed with his eyes unfocused and half-open.

_He looks so familiar...Who..._ I looked around in order to find anything that could be of use identifying this person. It took me a few seconds to find print that I could barely make out, probably because I forgot how to read. The text I read spelled out "Adam." _Okay, so this guy is Adam..._ for some reason the name "Adam" rang in my head, as if I was missing something that I should have known. A few moments later, and everything flooded back into my head.

_Am I having...What?!_ Somehow, the person in the bed was me. Either I was dead, or I was having some sort of out-of-body experience. A few of the numb areas in my "body" began to ache a little.

"Well, welcome back to the world of the living," someone said in another room. I began walking to that room, curious as to what happened, and about whom this person was talking. "How do you feel?" There was no answer, or at least no vocal answer. I wasn't at the room yet. "Okay, that's good. Do you remember anything?" No vocal response. "...Not much, huh? Don't worry, it usually takes a little bit for everything to come back to you. You'll be fine in no time. Just hit that button if you ever need anything." Once the doctor left whoever was in the room alone, I looked through the doorway and saw a gardevoir looking extremely tired and lying on a hospital bed.

_Ruby..._I walked over to her side. _Poor girl..._More of myself started to hurt, but I shrugged it off. She turned her head towards me and looked straight at me. I looked behind me to see if she was looking at something else, but there was nothing but a blank wall behind me. I moved to the side, and her eyes followed.

"Who..." She weakly spoke.

"Ruby," I knelt down to eye-level, "It's me, Adam...You can hear me, right...?" The painful numbness spread and worsened while my vision blurred a little.

"...I don't..."

"Don't worry, you'll remember." Everything grew a little dark. It felt harder to focus. "...I'll be right back..." I got up and left. I almost fell over from being so disorientated, not that I'd damage anything. I tried making something out out of my soul power, hoping I'd get someone's attention. Before I returned to the abyss I had been freed from, I set off the thing I made, which made a loud crackling noise. The last thing I could clearly see were visions of a village full of murdered pokemon, and woods with dead humans, also murdered.

And then, I returned as I was before: blind, dizzy, confused, and afraid.

* * *

><p><em><span>Somewhere around White Forest Ryan's POV<span>_

"Curtis?" Curtis wasn't answering his Xtransceiver. "God dammit, Curtis, where the hell are you?" It was hard getting into these woods without anyone noticing. The only place that I knew Curtis would go was White Forest to forewarn Josh and the others. "Curtis! Answer, dammit!"

"Ryan?" He finally answered with a whisper. I could hear some people talking in the background.

"Finally you answer! Get back to base now!"

"Not a good time, Ryan," Curtis whispered.

"What do you mean 'not a good time'?! Do you have any-"

"Oh, hey, Curtis." I heard Alpha's voice in the background. "I just noticed you. Care to join your friends while I spoil some of Andrew's secrets?"

"You had to call..." Curtis grumbled. I felt a little bad for giving him away, but he shouldn't have been there to begin with. For some reason he kept his mic on. I continued my tracking, but I kept one ear on the speaker. Just what did Alpha know?

* * *

><p><em><span>Andrew's POV<span>_

"Did anyone else just see hear something?" Helena asked.

"Yeah," someone said, "it was some sort of crackling sound."

"...I'll check it out." Helena walked toward the sound. I followed quickly.

"When was your most recent role call, Helena?"

"A couple hours after the meeting. Why?"

"Curtis went against orders and is currently in the field."

"What?! Why would he do that?!" We got closer to the source of the sound.

"He eavesdropped on our conversation, and went to warn his 'friends.' Just when I thought he was ready to become one of...did we just pass the source?" We turned back. Somehow the sound was coming from behind us, though we didn't pass anything.

"I didn't see anything." Helena slowly walked toward the sound again, and stopped in the middle of where she thought the sound was centered.

"There's nothing...Do you have a scanner?"

"No, I don't." I made a cloud of soul energy. If something was there, it would appear. Something began to glow a blue-violet tint. "I knew something was..." the thing began to look agitated, as if it was having a bad reaction to the cloud. "What is that thing? Is that...Oh, shit!" By the time I realized that it was Adam's damaged soul, it was too late. Both of us gripped our heads as our minds were assaulted with intense pain and images of death.

"Doctor!" Helena cried. "Hurry!"

* * *

><p><span><em>Curtis' POV<em>

"Why would we listen to any of your bullshit?!" I asked the demon in front of us.

"You have no reason to take my word for it. Just ask Ryan. He is on his way here, right?"

"...Even if anything you wanted to say was true, then why would you tell us?"

"I am a man of enlightened choice. And if you want to continue fighting for that faction, you should at least know what Andrew has done that has often been done without a trace."

"Like..." Maria said. My guess was that he would start off with something completely out there.

"Well, let us start with the Purifiers' most infamous act: the murder of my parents."

_Knew it._

"What would you say if I told you that Andrew was even more of a culprit than Derek."

"You do realize that you're talking about the same Derek that led that unit to the home in the first place." I stepped forward. "He gave the order to attack those civilians."

"You know that to be a lie," Alpha smiled. "I saw your records. You and Derek share some history."

"Shut up!"

"What history?" Maria asked.

"Nothing important," I snapped.

"Another lie."

"I told you to shut up!"

"Take it easy, Curtis." Alpha walked forward. "I am not here to fight. I am here to tell you the truth."

"...What does Andrew have to do with that day?"

"He admitted to you that, when he was given the chance to stop the attack, he looked the other way, right?"

"Right..."

"Does it not bother you that someone who claims to be a 'protector of the people' would allow an outright murder -by his own men, no less- to just simply happen like that?" I stood silent. Nobody said a word for a few seconds. "See? I am not wrong."

"Give me more than just circumstantial evidence."

"I will get to that, but before that, let me turn to other things. You know that Derek was the best assassin in the faction. He took on jobs that required the killing of non-demons alongside the normal jobs."

"Really?" Maria asked.

"He did," I explained, "but those hits were focused on empowered criminals, those who used their soul power for 'dangerous' purposes."

"You also know that a couple years ago, when I retrieved my body in the Purifier base-"

"What? That's where you got the body?!"

"Yup. I took the blood straight from Adam's veins, used enough power to get it to the resurrection machine, you know, before I sabotaged it, and took control of the new and empty vessel...back to my point," Alpha began walking around, but the civilians kept their eyes forward, as if he was still standing in place. "I stole lots of important files, and Andrew hates me for that. In one of the lesser files, Derek always took on his jobs utterly alone. Not even Andrew watched over him."

"His whole unit was based on intel and recon, but he preferred his hits done alone and by himself."

"So explain to me why he would take anyone, much less ten more, with him on that one night involving John and Clara, especially since the only true target was a six-year-old powerless Adam." For some reason, Maria and the others were looking in an entirely different direction than I was. I figured that I was falling for an illusion, so I looked in their direction, even though I didn't see anything.

"Do you have any evidence that is _not_ circumstantial?"

"Paper trail. Remember the files I said I stole earlier?"

"You don't have anything with you."

"Have you seen the now-abandoned building in Lostlorn Forest? Take the tiles out from the west side of the roof. You'll find all the proof you'll need there..." Alpha looked to his right. "Either that, or just have Ryan over there confirm my suspicions." We looked over to the right and saw Ryan.

"How do we know this is the real Ryan?"

"It's me." Ryan tossed me a stone to prove that he wasn't a hologram. "You've got some guts leaving on Andrew like that! Don't do it again!"

"Is any of Alpha's crap true?"

"I didn't hear what he said..." Alpha was still walking around. I still tried to look forward like everyone else was, trying not to fall for his illusion.

**What's wrong with you? **Mace asked in my head. **You're distracted.**

"I was telling them about how Andrew was responsible for the deaths of my parents." Alpha shifted his direction. This time he was looking at me in a slightly suspicious manner. He knew I was up to something.

"In what sense?" Ryan asked.

_Do you see Alpha directly in front of you or to the right? _I asked in my head.

**In front.**

_I see him to the right, and he's looking right at me._

**...He's planning something.**

_If he attacks, you attack what you see, and I'll attack what I see._

**When?**

_On my go._

"In the sense that he is responsible for the planning of their death, and how he screwed over Derek by sending his own men to act like they were working for Derek." Alpha looked away from me.

"In other words, bullshit." I said.

"Is it, Ryan?" Alpha asked Ryan. He stood silent. "See? You know what I am talking about." Ryan wasn't saying anything to defend himself. Everyone else fell silent except for Alpha. "If you only want more proof, just go to the Lostlorn Forest, like I said. Once you read those...Derek?" Alpha looked at someone behind us. "Is that you?" Derek didn't say a single word, but he slowly walked from behind us and to where everyone was. There was a calm, but less-than-joyous look on his face. "Would you happen to know the whereabouts of Alex?"

"...He was caught by the police."

"Caught?" Ryan got a weapon ready. Derek noticed this and prepped a knife in his hand.

"He's being interrogated by Jenny, trying to find out the location of the Purifier base and that of all of you," Derek pointed at us with his knife, "as well as the other remaining five that were part of his little band."

"And you're helping them." Ryan spoke, getting ready into a battle stance.

"Ryan, I won't fight you if I don't have to. I want to help you."

"By killing innocent civilians? By betraying every single one of us?! You could have just left everything behind, but instead you turned Unova against us!" I snapped.

"...Alpha is telling the truth. My target was Adam, not John or Clara, and the only reason I agreed to killing Adam to begin with was because of his star."

"So what was this all about?! Some petty revenge?!" Derek was struggling to keep calm and composed as he heard me.

"This isn't about revenge." Derek turned to Ryan. "Ryan, you can't say that you haven't questioned whether or not we were doing the right thing."

"We're defending-" I said before Derek cut me off.

"You stopped being defenders just months after my execution! Andrew hid the faction further away from the people instead of explaining his claims of those soldiers 'going rogue.' He always has a detailed explanation for anything, Ryan. Why wouldn't he have one for that night?"

Everyone was dead silent. Alpha spoke up.

"Listen, all of you. I know you all are mad at me for something. I tried to kill Adam, putting him in a coma that led to a whole mess of problems. In my crazed state I killed off Mace's village, along with many other innocents. I attacked you as well in that state. But understand that you are not my enemy. Andrew is my enemy. I told you that the papers I stashed had proof of his past lies. They also are full of potential projects still being considered by him. They were all taken before Adam's coma."

"What's your point?" Maria asked.

"I am giving you the choice to abandon the Purifiers, meaning that, if they ask, you will deny them any help. If you choose to further assist Andrew, I will have to kill you right here. The choice is yours."

"What about Adam?" Maria continued.

"I cannot allow that star to awaken. Adam must die."

"I don't believe any of this bullshit." I got into a readied stance, pretending to look where everyone else was.

"Fine then." Alpha readied himself as well. Ryan pulled out his other blade.

"Stop." Derek put his arm out to block the air where he thought Alpha was. "...I'll do it."

"...Are you sure you can take both of them?"

"Certain. You go on ahead and leave."

"Suit yourself." Everyone looked to the right, where Alpha supposedly left, even though, in my eyes, he just climbed a tree to the left and sat on a branch to watch.

"You all should leave, too. Find somewhere where nobody will find you." The civilians left.

"First, you spoil our image with John and Clara's murder, and now you make us look like the terror we're trying to stop?! You're insane!" I took out two switchblades. I didn't have any armor on, but I didn't need any. I had a speed advantage without it.

"That's not what you really think." Derek looked a little sad, but otherwise calm, as he took out two combat knives. "Please, Curtis, don't make me do this."

"Curtis..." Ryan got my attention. "I don't like it either, but this man is a traitor. We have to take him down."

"...Okay..." Breathing deeply, I mentally got ready to face the best of the original Feared Five.

* * *

><p><strong>Please leave a review. The more, the better.<strong>


	18. Not-So-Friendly Exchanges

**Hey...remember when I said that we were getting close to an ending...I forgot that I had one last arc to worry about, so it may be a while before we _actually _get close to an ending. So...enjoy.**

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><p><em><span><strong>Chapter Eighteen: Not-So-Friendly Exchanges<strong>_

_Purifier Base Andrew's POV_

"How is the operation going?" I asked one of the nurses who just left the operating room.

"So far, so good. Luckily there hasn't been any attacks yet. So far the piece and the rest of Adam's soul have been fusing back together well...though we have been more than a bit cautious. That last attack spanned almost the entire base."

"...Nurse, in your honest opinion, do you think there was some truth to what Alpha told us?"

"About Adam being a danger to everyone? I...I think there's some truth to it. We were all aware that something was different about him, and it wasn't exactly good."

"I know, but Adam isn't exactly experienced in using soul power. Even if he could overpower us, we've dealt with people like that many times...but even if this operation is successful, he should still be watched."

"I'm confident that Adam will be okay. Looking back, Curtis had much worse than this at one point."

"Ah, that's right...fixing Curtis' soul was quite a feat...It's unfortunate how his homeworld had to meet such a horrible fate...at least he turned out to be fine. Let's hope that this operation gives the same result."

"Do you think Curtis was different before we found him? I mean, when we did, his soul was far from intact."

"The parts we fixed were mostly parts that had little to nothing to do with personality. If he was different before we met him, it wasn't by much."

"This piece doesn't have to do with personality, either...but something about that piece just doesn't seem quite right."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, I just feel uneasy about this...I'll get back to work." As the nurse got back to work, Eric approached me.

"Yes, Eric?"

"...Boss, it's about Curtis' recent disobedience."

"Ah, right...did he ever explain his justifications?"

"Yes...and his statements showed some interesting accuracy."

"What statements."

"According to one of his roommates, he went off to warn Belle, Josh, Maria and Mace about Alder's executive order, saying that the police would be after them."

"Yes, even though it was made clear that nobody was to leave the base."

"It seems that he was right to be suspicious. One of Matthew's retreating scouts noticed police units advancing toward White Forest on his way back. We also traced a message that was sent from the base to somewhere we don't know."

"What did the message say?"

"We don't know. It was encrypted in a code completely different from what we're familiar with, but we know that someone from Matthew's team sent the message to an encrypted address."

"So that means...Brian really was innocent..." I didn't show it, but inside I felt horrible. I caused the death of one of our own out of little more than pure accusation.

"Yes...but we definitely have a mole in the faction. We'll find it as soon as we can."

* * *

><p><em><span>Uncharted Area of Unova Alpha's POV<span>_

Despite watching a rogue who somehow cheated death fight against his friend and the kid prodigy, I was bored. It was tempting to shoot a Focus Blast or a Dark Pulse just to shake up the fight, but I wanted to see how Derek would do against these two, even if the fight was boring. Ryan and Derek seemed to be focused on each other quite well, considering how fast they were attacking each other. Curtis was another story. Occasionally Curtis would glance up, trying to look for something in the trees. Even though he was not getting attacked too much, he seemed distracted, even though he was supposedly a prodigy.

He was also acting strange during our conversation. I made an illusion to stand right in front of all of them during the exchange, but Curtis happened to glance at the real me every time I moved. It was like he knew I was using an illusion, or maybe he even is unable to see illusions.

_No, that would be ridiculous,_ I thought to myself. _How could someone be completely immune to an illusion? _I was about to get so bored that I would _actually _leave, but then the three started talking while fighting.

"What did you tell the people?!" Ryan asked.

"For one thing, the existence of demons. They took the information quite well, as a matter of fact."

"What?" Curtis stopped, but not for long, since he dodged a jab.

"They actually were very calm after I told them. I also let them know about the industrial foundations you ran. If they're not gone already, they will be soon. They also know about Andrew's future projects that he hasn't spoken much of, such as the NanoMark."

"We already have better containment methods, so that project was abandoned." Ryan blocked a few stabs from Derek and kicked him away.

"Your current methods aren't weaponized, NanoMark is. And you have tools capable of repairing souls?"

"Yeah, what about those?"

"It would be incredibly easy to create weapons capable of destroying souls with the technology you already have. Curtis knows it, too. His people were further behind and they still created weapons of mass destruction that could target souls. And now Andrew has the very people he 'protected' against him. Do you really think power-dampening weapons will be enough against an already-powerless population?"

"Andrew would never fight the people." Curtis retorted.

"You're correct. Instead, he would just have others do the dirty work for him because he's too afraid to do it himself. I would know from years of experience. Besides, I heard one of your own was killed without trial. If he's so conscious about his inner circles, what makes you think he'd be so hesitant to fight the people, the police, and the military?"

_...Still bored..._

"Then tell us," Curtis asked, "how did you manage to resurrect yourself?"

_Hm...This I wanna hear!_

"...What?!"

"Nobody had access to your body, meaning that no Purifier could have resurrected you. So how did you manage to manifest a new body?"

"There is no way that I could do that, Curtis. I don't have that kind of power. I'm a spy, not a god."

"Then how the hell did someone resurrect you? Like Curtis said, none of us had access to your body, but only we had the technology to bring people back."

"The Purifiers are not the only ones with that possibility."

"Who does?!" Curtis asked.

"...Do you remember that I never knew my real parents?"

"Of course," Ryan answered. "You were raised in a foster home in Kalos."

"After Adam discovered his soul power, I found my mother. She gave me new life shortly after the execution."

"Again, how did she get your DNA?"

"She didn't. She used her own to make my new body...after altering some of the donated DNA."

"Did you meet your father?"

"There was no father."

"So your mother gave birth to you without doing the one thing that causes reproduction in the first place?!"

"Yes. She gave birth a virgin."

_How is that possible?_

"...Derek, who was your mother?" Ryan asked.

"...Guys...Alpha's still watching us."

"What?" Derek and Ryan both looked up at me. I panicked a small bit, which ruined the invisibility I was trying to keep.

"Shit!"

"Why are you still here?!" Derek demanded. We all kept a distance from each other.

"I was bored."

"And that's a reason to..." Curtis stopped talking about the same time I heard ticking, like a clock. The noise grew louder with each tick.

_**I'm almost ready,**_ a voice echoed in my head. It sounded somewhat like my corrupted voice, but a little different.

"...Do you hear that?" Derek quietly asked the others.

"I feel that," Ryan answered. The noise went away, and so did the voice. But I had the feeling that something was coming from a certain direction.

"...Okay," I said while climbing down the tree, "I would rather find whatever that was and destroy it before it grows, so is anyone willing to accept a two-hour truce?"

"What makes you think it's weak?" Curtis asked.

"I do not, but the fact that it sounds like me when I was being warped does not make me want to leave it alone."

"Suit yourself," Derek said, "I want to make sure that this isn't one of your tricks."

"Whatever that was is real."

"How could we trust your word?" Ryan asked me.

"When have I lied to you? I told Andrew about the star, I warned Adam that one of his friends would die before he turned fifteen, which _did_ happen, and I convinced your ghostly ally to stop his rampage."

"I still don't trust you," Ryan told me.

"Look, whether any of you are coming with or not, I am going...Are there any places that are supposedly haunted or cursed?"

"There is an abandoned house west of here." Derek walked over to me. However, I need you to come with me."

"What?" Ryan asked.

"Why?" I wondered.

"I will explain later, but it's urgent."

"I am not going anywhere until whatever the hell that was is dead, and I _will_ find it! If you want me to go with you, you can help me." I walked away, making sure that neither Ryan or Curtis would attack me from behind.

"...Fine!" Derek joined me. "But after this, You're coming with me!"

* * *

><p><em><span>Curtis' POV<span>_

"...I don't think that thing was Alpha." I said to Ryan.

"What makes you so sure?"

"When Alpha was telling us about John and Clara's murder, he walked all over the place, but-"

"He was standing perfectly still."

"That's what Mace said, too, but I saw nothing where everyone else was looking. The Alpha I saw even gave me a suspicious look at one time...If Alpha is right about this, then there could be a bigger problem later on."

"...Give me a minute." Ryan pulled out his Xtransceiver. "Boss, I finally have Curtis."

"Good! Get back to base now!" Andrew seemed pretty angry.

"...Boss, something came up while finding Curtis."

"What was it?"

"A voice that sounded very similar to the phantom's voice, but different, spoke to both of us mentally."

"I don't see how...both of you? But you're nearly deaf to telepaths."

"And it says something that I heard it loud and clear. May we have permission to track down whatever sent that message?"

"...Two hours. If you cannot do it by then, come back to base!" The Boss hung up. Alpha smiled as soon as we caught up to him.

"Did you change your minds?"

"Two hours, and that's it!" Ryan said.

"Glad to hear that..." We walked a little further before Alpha said, "...So Derek..."

"What?"

"How did your mother give birth as a virgin? Did she go to a bank or-"

"I have a knife capable of piercing any defense you could hope to create."

"Sorry, sorry, I was just curious."

"...And the answer is no. No father, no donor, just her."

* * *

><p><em><span>Somewhere Else Maria's POV<span>_

If there was any sign as to where we were before, it's gone now. All we could see was cold, rocky desert as far as the eye could see, a complete contrast to the forest we were in when we encountered Alpha. It never ceased to amaze me how easily we could cover our tracks. Even _we_ don't know where we are.

"Well...at least we won't be found by the police..." Josh said, trying to be optimistic.

"...Josh," Belle spoke, "I appreciate your optimism, but unless we find some shelter, I don't think our bodies will be found."

"Where even are we?" I asked, not expecting an answer. "We can't be at Route 4 already."

"There has to be something," Mace said. "Even if this place is off the map, there has to be _some_ sort of civilization around here."

"...I think I see something!" I began to walk faster, but made sure nobody would be left behind. There was a large house in the distance. Once we got closer, I noticed it was old. Josh stood still as we walked closer.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "Do you see a pokemon up on the roof?"

"No...No, I'm not going in there!"

"Why...oh..." I remembered Josh's story. The last time he was here, his family died.

"Didn't the abra die? There's nothing to worry about," I tried to convince Josh to go in, but he wouldn't budge.

"I told you, there's much more than just an abra in there."

"Relax. We won't go into any of the small rooms. We'll just stay in the first room we walk into when we go through this one door."

"...Fine, but we stay together and in that one room, just for this one night. Once the sun comes up, we leave." After closing the door behind us, we got settled down as well as we could. It did feel a little eerie being in a huge, but silent house like this one, but it didn't take long for me to fall asleep. Although it only felt like six seconds, I had slept for about ten minutes, according to Josh's watch.

_What an accomplishment,_ I thought. I felt a little bad for making Josh be here again, but at least it couldn't get much worse.

"So this is the haunted house," I heard Alpha's voice outside.

_Arceus dammit..._

"I feel as if I've seen this place before," I heard Curtis as the two got closer to the door. "Maybe it was a dream or...oh..." There was an awkward silence after Curtis had opened the door, revealing that Ryan and Derek had joined those two.

"Maria," Belle groaned as she got up, "Don't go on another...what?!" Anyone that was asleep was now awake and joined in on the eerie silence.

"...What are-"

"Forget it," Alpha interrupted Mace. "Just forget it. We are on a ghost hunt. We are going to find it, destroy it, and leave. It has nothing to do with you, so do not bother with any questions unless you want to help." Alpha walked into the house, but once he stepped through the doorway, he started to look like in Adam in almost every way, except that his hair was black and his eyes turned blue.

"What's with the disguise?" I asked.

"The what?"

"You just..."

"I just..."

"...Alpha," Curtis said, "Could you look in the mirror over there for a second?"

"Why?" Alpha walked to a slightly broken mirror. "Is there something stuck on my..." It became apparent to Alpha that he not only looked completely human instead of his...other form...but now he looked so similar to Adam. "...Huh. Neat...Well, let's get to work." Derek, Ryan went upstairs while Curtis stayed on the main floor. Alpha went downstairs.

"Is there anything you can tell us about this place?" Curtis asked Josh. "Sorry to bother you." Josh stayed silent. "...I understand if you're uncomfortable with this place, but we need all the information we can get so that nobody gets hurt. Is there anything you can tell us about this place?"

"...Gather your group together quickly. Every hour the doorways open portals that are barely visible, each portal leading to the same house in a different dimension." At first Curtis had a hard time taking the info legitimately, but he gathered the group, and with Josh's guidance, learned how to spot a portal. "You need to remember the order of the portals you went through, or you'll get lost. If you get too deep, you can make a mark in this spot, and take a shortcut, but you must remember what your mark was and where it was in the house."

"Thank you," Curtis said. The four split off to search for the ghost or whatever they were trying to find.

"...Let's hope the rest of the night is peaceful," Josh sighed.

"I doubt it," I said.

"What?" Mace asked.

"One of us is going to veer off for some reason, forcing the rest of us to follow him or her, and then we just run into a new problem."

"You don't sound very optimistic." Belle told me.

"You were the same a while back." With that thought we all went to sleep. It felt odd seeing Alpha moving around this old house looking so much like Adam. But after a while I was able to get to sleep just fine. Unfortunately, what I didn't enjoy was what I woke up to. "...Hello?" The largest room in the house was empty. "...Anyone?" After walking around for a little while, I noticed a woman sitting down in one of the rooms. Her eyes and hair were both water blue, along with most of her clothes. She was also glowing the same color. "...Excuse me, but..." The woman turned to me and smiled a little.

"...Maria..."

"How do you know my name..." I stepped back a little, remembering Josh's story. "Who are you?"


	19. The Hunt (Part One)

**Okay, I'm sorry! I lost motivation, but I'll try and get myself up and running again! Enjoy! Review! Something!**

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><p><strong><span><em>Chapter Ninteen: The Hunt (Part One)<em>**

_Purifier Base Andrew's POV_

After what felt like forever, I could finally breath normally once again. The procedure had been finished without a problem. An attack almost happened, but that was stopped quickly. It wouldn't take long before Adam would finally wake.

"What a relief," I thought aloud. "After two years, it's finally done...Did anything go wrong, doctor?"

"No..." The way the doctor answered seemed off.

"...Anything at all?"

"The procedure was flawless, but...we after we made the final touches, we all felt something, as if he was trying to speak to us through our minds."

"What did he say?"

"I couldn't understand most of it, but I heard a few words pointing to what happened in the Lostlorn Forest."

"What about it?"

"...He's not happy with whatever brought him into the coma in the first place. I suggest binding him just in case he tries to hurt anyone upon waking."

"...I will have a nurse do something, but binding him...no."

* * *

><p><span><em>Strange House Maria's POV<em>

"Who are you?" I asked.

"My name is not important, but your safety is. Why are you here?" The woman waited for a reply.

"We got lost in the desert. This place was the only shelter we could find."

"You came with others...where are the others?"

"I don't know. I took a small nap, and then they weren't anywhere."

"Are you aware of who keeps this place?"

"Yes, and a friend was here once. Both his parents died here." After hearing this, the woman stood up with a sigh.

"...Would you mind taking a walk with me? We will meet your friends along the way."

"Okay..." I was still a little nervous from remembering Josh's story. We walked about the whole house, occasionally through one of the portals whenever there was one. The portals were opening minute after minute instead of hours.

"Two old friends of mine were always interested in this house. I have seen their spirits wander this place. If your friend is who I think he is, then he knew Adam very well."

"He did," I spoke softly.

"You are afraid of this place...It's okay. Nothing here can harm you as long as you stay close." Just in case, I stood a little closer, with not much space between us. She laughed as she saw this. "You know what I meant."

"So what exactly is this place?"

"I am not entirely sure myself. The reason I came here was to find the abra that keeps this house."

"But...the abra died."

"Evidently not. More and more people have fallen victim to it in the past four years. If nobody else can stop it, then I will." That's when I remembered something.

"A few people came here trying to find something here."

"How many?" We passed through another portal.

"Seven people. Three Purifiers, one being a boy about this tall," doing my best to show the woman his height, I continued, "a demon, two normal people, and a gallade."

"One of those Purifiers wouldn't happen to be named Derek, would he?"

"Yeah. Did you know him?"

"I did...Let's hurry and find your friends. They are most likely looking for you." Wanting to find the others and ask why they abandoned me like they did, I kept up.

* * *

><p><span><em>Alpha's POV<em>

"And the second I wake up, everyone's gone!" Does this gallade ever shut up? When I said he could help, I meant he could help using his eyes, not his mouth.

"Is that so?" One would think that my bored tone would make it obvious that his story was not appreciated. I was wrong.

"Yeah, and they didn't even wake me up or leave a note or..." I stopped actually listening to Mace while I tried to detect any souls in the area. Nothing was in the room. Eventually his banter got to be too much.

"Listen, kid. As much as I want to hear how your friends ditched you, I have something to track and kill. So if you really want to help, then I suggest doing it by looking for signs of activity."

"...What kind of activity?"

"Anything. Floating things, weird markings on the walls, zombified corpses, evil voices in your head, anything." Luckily that got the gallade to shut up and actually contribute to the effort. "...Find anything yet Derek?"

"Not yet...I can't help but wonder why anyone would make such a cluster of pocket worlds for just this one house."

"This place is obviously meant for trapping victims in...and it looks like a large group of explorers fell victim as well." I found a little note that was hastily written. The explorers were apparently misled by an abra.

"...Interesting...let's remember not to trust any abra that crosses our path." During the search one question passed my mind.

"Derek?"

"Do you have a question, Alpha?"

"Did you actually know either of my parents...before they died?"

"I only met with John so many times, but Clara and I were friends for some time. We both went to enlist as Purifiers on the same day."

"She changed her mind, though, right?"

"Right, it wasn't much later before she started dating John."

"...That brings me to ask another question: What exactly is...or was...it that makes you dislike halflings so much?"

"...Although my disliking for halflings like you and your former host was heavily exaggerated by others, I do admit that it was there." Derek picked up a broken vase and inspected it. "Do you remember that pokemon and humans were once one in the same?"

"Yeah, what about it?" I continued my scanning while being attentive to Derek.

"At one point I started to believe that the two were separated for a reason beyond just...'selective breeding'. I never came around to figuring out the answer to such a vain belief."

"So you do not believe that anymore?"

"No. I'm not the same blind man I was years ago." Derek put down the vase and looked at Mace, who was shaking a little from the eerie look of this house.

"So, when exactly did you come into clarity?"

"I started a few days before I attacked your group of eight, er, nine, counting you, in the Lostlorn Forest, but my eyes were completely open a few days after that, when I met my mother."

"Ah...you never said who your mother was. Was she well-known?"

"Those that knew her highly respected her, but others even question her existence."

"...Again, who...never mind, we should focus on the task at hand." We both continued searching. I went through another door...warp...thing...and Mace followed me. Clearly something was on his mind, not that I could talk. "Something you wanted to ask me, Mace?" Doing another scan, I turned an ear to the gallade.

"Yeah...The piece of Adam's soul was what drove you insane, right?"

"...Look, if it is about your family, I am sorry. I could see and hear it all, but there was nothing I could-"

"Not that...what I meant is...why do you think the piece attacked you?"

"I have no idea how, but the why is likely a result of Adam having it out for me."

"I seriously doubt that. How could he do anything when his soul is chipped?" I showed Mace an illusion of a soul broken into multiple pieces, all of which barely held together. "...What's this?"

"This was me on the day Adam and I fought. At the end of the fight I chipped his soul, and he fell into a coma. But before then he broke mine, and I fell into insanity."

"This is you?!"

"It was. I am much better now...This damage should have completely destroyed me. Even I do not get how I was durable enough to survive, let alone make a full recovery."

"What the shit?!" Evidently Curtis saw something. The four of us gathered to see it. Someone had been bashed into the wall a long time ago. We had no clue who exactly the someone was.

"Yeah, now I am certain that this place is a death trap. We need to hurry."

* * *

><p><span><em>Belle's POV<em>

"I would get that one of us left on their own, but everyone?" I kicked a pebble.

"And they didn't wake us up, either." Josh nervously sighed. He was still shaking a little from being here. "Maybe they didn't go far."

"They'd better not."

"What the shit?!" We heard Carl...Chris...that Purifier, shout from the basement. Both of us went down and saw most of the others down there. The other sight...wasn't pretty.

"...Where's Maria?" I asked.

"Was she not with you?" Alpha responded.

"But then...Oh, no..."

"Before you panic, Belle," Alpha tried to calm her down. "She knows about this place, right? She would not go too deep into this...whatever the hell this place is...we can just retrace your steps and find her along the way." Something fell down upstairs. Alpha went up to see what it was. It was only a matter of seconds before Focus Blasts were thrown. A moment later, he came back down, shaken up a little.

"What was that?" Curtis asked.

"An abra."

"You killed an innocent abra?" Derek sighed.

"That abra gave me visions of my times as a monster the second I looked at it in the eye, and it grew a wide smile when the visions were gone. Some guy saw the whole thing and left in a panic. He must have thought I was a ghost or something."

"Oh...well, now that it's gone, we should go back."

"You can go, but I am staying-"

"Why?" Derek asked.

"Do not interrupt...and that abra was not what I was looking for."

"Then what is that something?" I asked.

"A spirit, most likely."

"You don't even know?" Mace walked up to Alpha.

"I do not know visually, but I know the signs."

"And what are those signs?" I wondered.

"Remember what I was like when I was insane? With the warped voice and gloomy presence? Like that."

"Yeah, we were just here for shelter."

"Good for you, maybe we can find Maria during our little hunt."

"No thanks, I'm not hunting a ghost!" Josh replied.

"The more people, the more attention we get. We can lure the ghost in, and I can destroy it...how long have we been here?"

"About..." Curtis checked a watch. "An hour."

"...I'll help," I volunteered.

"Are you sure?" Josh asked Belle.

"It's seven against one if we all pitch in."

"...Okay, I'll help."

"Good." Alpha started walking. "Then keep up." It didn't take long before he got too far ahead and into a portal that vanished.

"Alpha?" I looked around the other end of the door, and he was gone.

"He will be fine," Derek said.

"What are you basing that on, Derek?" Ryan asked him. Truthfully, I almost forgot that Ryan was even here.

"I've nearly killed his host with weapons specialized for killing the empowered. If his host can survive being impaled by a weapon like that, I'm sure he can take on something like this."

"Again, we don't really know what we're up against." Curtis added in. "...Besides, the more we've been looking, the more I've become suspicious of Alpha."

"You've just started becoming suspicious?" Maria poked in.

"At first I wasn't, because I wasn't fooled by his illusions he tried earlier. But why would the first place he would look for a nearly anonymous target be this clusterfuck of a house? Either he's using us as bait, or he's trying to kill us...probably both."

"Are you saying we should leave this place as soon as we find Maria?" Derek asked.

"Yes. I used to think that this was a reasonable search, but we're just getting lost here. Let's go home once we find her...One of us left a mark on the original version of this house, right?" Nobody answered. "...Please tell me someone at least made a noticeable mark. Did we keep a record of where we were going?" There was a nervous silence in the air. "...God dammit..."

* * *

><p><em><span>Alpha's POV<span>_

_Did they just ditch me?_ I looked back, and nobody was there. Either they failed to keep up like I told them to, or they ditched me. I tried going through the door I just went through, but nobody was on the other end._ Ugh! Come on!_ I sighed and walked about the room, scanning for anything. I did not find the ghost, but I did find something interesting in the bookshelves.

Of all the books that were there, one book in particular stood out. It was a familiar book, with a black cover with gold accents. In fact, it was the same book Andrew interrogated me about._ How did this...Oh, well._ I kept it and moved on, looking for any clues. I was a bit hungry, but I had other things to worry about. Since I had the book, I felt no reason not to do some extra research alongside the hunt. Before I could actually start, however, I started to feel a sense of gloom that was probably what everyone else felt when I lost control.

_...Son of a bitch is finally here. _I set the book back on the shelf so I could have both arms free. As the feeling became more intense, I got ready for any sort of attack. "...I know you are here. Show yourself."

_**Hello, Alpha. **_A glowing red sphere floated towards me, but stopped at a distance. _**Remember me?**_

"...Do I know you?"

_**Nothing about me seems familiar to you?**_

"I know you are trying to scare me with that voice. You ruined it when you approached me. If you want to 'survive', you will explain a few things to me. First off, who are you?"

_**My name is not important.**_

_That asshole thinks that is an exc..._ I remembered when Ben first introduced me to the other demons. _...So__ that is how it feels..._

"...Second, are you the keeper of this dump?"

_**Yes.**_

"Third, why get my attention, along with the others that were with me?"

_**You are not like the other demons. You-**_

"Just get to the damned point! I have other things to do!"

_**...You have interesting capabilities, as you know. But there's more that you can learn. Would you like to find out?**_

"I have a book that has not let me down in any way." I prepared a shot of soul power that would be more than enough to destroy him.

_**And you think an old book like that will explain the possibilities of the first demon to independently free himself from his host?**_

"...Go on." I let the shot vanish. This normally would have been the time where I just destroy him, but I was interested in learning more about what I could do.


	20. The Hunt (Part Two)

**Well, we all know what's here. For some, school is coming very close. Others are already in. To take your mind off of things, here's another chapter.**

* * *

><p><strong><em><span>Chapter Twenty: The Hunt (Part Two)<span>_**

_Purifier Base Andrew's POV_

"Why is Adam in the training room?!" I asked one of the managers there. "His operation just ended!"

"Adam? That's George in there." The grunt replied as he turned to the window. "He came right up to me and...wait, what?!" He noticed Adam in there. "I'm not kidding, I saw George go through the door!"

"He disguised himself to get in there..." Considering the fact that this kid had been in a coma for nearly two years, yet was nearly in fighting shape already amazed me. He had already tripled Mace's score on the simulator, and _his_ score was high. Although the test is normally meant for humans, it still amazed me. "...I still want him out of there. It's not safe for him to be straining himself immediately after an opera-" A loud bang interrupted me. A point-blank Focus Blast had completely destroyed one of the target dummies. "...Get him out of there."

"Yes, Boss." The manager reached for the mic, but stopped and looked at Adam. What I found unsettling was that he was looking directly at us through one-way glass that is completely undetectable on the opposite end. He was holding it back, but I could tell that he was angry about something. "...Come on, Adam." The man spoke into the mic. "You just woke up from a coma. Take it easy." I opened the door.

"You will get your chance to train later, but first, we need to make sure that you recover without straining yourself." Adam reluctantly obeyed, but instead of stopping so I could escort him, he went off toward his room on his own. "...Odd...Did he say anything to you before he went in?"

"Aside from 'Is the simulator open?', no." I went to catch up to the boy and ask him a few questions.

"How are you feeling, Adam?"

"I...I've felt better."

"You do know the kind of strain those training rooms put, right? I know that you aren't completely human, but it's still strenuous."

"I feel fine."

"Didn't you just...is something on your mind that I should know?"

"...I guess I could tell you...I've had dreams about many things. Not many of them were clear to me, but the ones that were...They never felt so real..."

"...Tell me more."

* * *

><p><em><span>Strange House Josh's POV<span>_

"...Alpha said something about others being here, right?" Josh asked. "I'm gonna see if I can catch up to them and give them a few hints about this place."

"Don't go too far," Belle said.

"Trust me, I won't." I went upstairs and noticed two men sitting in a room with their heads down. "...Hey, are you two okay?"

"Yes...physically, at least." One man got up. He looked familiar, but I don't remember where I saw him before. "...Have we met before?"

"Maybe," I answered, "you look familiar, but I don't remember if we introduced ourselves..."

"...I remember!" The second guy spoke. "You're part of that little band that lives in Lostlorn Forest."

"Band?" I had no idea that strangers of all people knew about my old friends.

"Yeah, there were rumors going about that a bunch of supposedly dead people were on a treasure hunt or something. Nobody ever bothered to confirm the rumors, but it was the talk of the town for a while."

"Huh..."

"Yeah, and just when things were dying down, there was that incident in that forest almost two years ago. The Purifiers wouldn't let anyone near the forest...Were you there when it happened?"

"No, I wasn't even near the area, but I heard about it."

"So...Are you part of that rumored group?" It was tempting to lie in the case that saying yes would leave a trail that could be followed, but would they really take the time to remember my face in a place like this?

"...I was, but we all went separate ways."

"Knew it." One of them laughed.

"Look, do you know how to navigate this place?"

"No, none of this makes sense to us," the other answered.

"Every so often...I would say hourly, but it's been getting more frequent for some reason...the doorways open ways to parallel versions of this house. The versions are a huge web of pocket dimensions or something like that."

"So what do you suggest we do? We can't find our way home."

"Did you leave some sort of mark on the first version of this hellhole? If you did, then you can think about that mark while going through one of the doors, and you'll be home."

"And what if we didn't..."

"Do your best to retrace your steps. Try to remember which doorways you went through, and try to also remember if you felt odd going through any of said doorways. You're bound to find it eventually." One of the portals began to open.

"...Well, thanks for the advice...what's your name?"

"Josh."

"Thanks." The men got off and left for the portal.

"Oh, and if you've heard about a killer abra on the loose, it's dead now. Something else killed it."

"We saw, and we didn't like the look of who killed it...again, thanks." They left. After the portal vanished, I went back downstairs. Luckily nobody had left.

"Now," Mace got up, "should we go find Maria now, or...oh." He looked up. When we traced his eye, I saw Maria and someone else right next to her. Looking more closely I could tell she was a spirit in the form of a woman.

"Hey, guys!" We all gathered downstairs.

"...Who are you?" I asked.

"Just a friendly stranger, that's all. Normally I don't come here, but there is some business I need to take care of."

"What kind of business?" Derek asked. "Would it have to do with a ghost we've been trying to track down?"

"Yes, the keeper of this place."

"Do you know where this 'keeper' is?" Derek asked.

"No, but we may be close. The next time the portals open, we will look in the basement."

"Why should we listen to you?" Curtis asked. "How do we know that you're not luring us into a trap?"

"Guys, she helped me find you."

"Trust can be used as a-"

"Curtis," Derek interrupted him, "I know this spirit. She has no reason to harm any of you."

"You do?" Curtis asked.

"I do," Derek answered. "She even saved me when a demon got me. That's why Maria found me in White Forest."

"Is that so?" I wondered.

"I was there, too." Mace mumbled.

"Would you be willing to help us stop this ghost?" Derek asked the woman.

"I would," the woman responded. "...Although not many of you will like this, I suggest splitting into two teams for easy sweeping."

"How will we decide who goes to what side?" Maria asked.

"Belle and I will be on different sides since she is the best telepath of you all."

"How do you know-"

"From there we can do a draft or vote or anything."

"Well," Curtis sighed, "let's get going. Not all of us have time to waste."

* * *

><p><em><span>Alpha's POV<span>_

"Well, this is more interesting than I thought it would be." I said with a smile. The things he told me about what a demon like me could do were somewhat fascinating, but some of those things also gave him away as the spirit I was looking for, as if his familiar voice had not already done so.

_**I can teach you all of that if you wanted. Think about it, you could become the next great destroyer. You remember all those tales that were told to you long ago, right?**_

"Yeah, I always wondered how one demon could destroy so much on his own." It was one thing to tell me how to use abilities, but it was a completely different thing to make me some weapon of his. He completely lost me.

_**So what do you say? Let me show you how to become feared by all.**_

"Hm..." I pretended to think about it. This spirit was the least convincing person I had ever met.

_**You're a man who sees his jobs to the end, right? I can give you the tools.**_

"...You know," I sighed as I stood back up, "it is funny that you say that."

_**Why-**_ One blast of soul power broke his being into multiple pieces, which I broke again for good measure.

_I went through this clusterfuck of a house to destroy _this _guy?! Talk about a letdown. Now how to get out of here..._ I stood by the basement doorway, waiting for it to open a portal. Quickly remembering the book from earlier, I looked in the shelves to find it again. Thankfully it was still there, and I kept it in one of my arms.

_**Well, isn't someone a little trigger-happy. **_I heard that voice from behind me.

_But I...What?! _I turned around and saw that destroyed soul reassemble itself.

_**Too bad you forgot why this place is a deathtrap.**_

"...Well," I said with a smile, this one being legitimate, "The victims of this place have said quite a lot about you. Let's hope they were not exaggerating." I set the book down on the opposite side of the doorway, getting ready for what lied ahead. Although I was eager for a fight, I knew this was going to be a problem. If this guy could reassemble himself in perfect condition mere seconds, I would have to go overkill while also being careful not to destroy myself in the process.

_Let's hope he's not strong with firepower._ The spirit sent a shot that I dodged a direct hit from, but its explosion caused me to hit the floor hard. _Yup, he is. _Quickly getting back on my feet, I hid behind a wall and prepared a shot that would break him again.

_**What's the matter? **_The ghost asked. _**You seemed so confident when you broke me!**_

"Quick question, before we legitimately start..."

_**...What?**_

"Are you still trying to imitate me when I was insane? Because either you are doing terribly or I was not listening to myself...probably both."

_**...That was it? **_The demon paused. _**And no.**_

"Okay, let's fight."

* * *

><p><span><em>Somewhere Within Unova Ben's POV<em>

"...Shouldn't he be back by now?" One of the demons asked.

"The terms were that he could come and go as he pleases," I reminded her, "...but he hasn't even stopped by, or even tried to get a hold of one of us."

"What could he be doing?"

"I don't know, probably eating that shit at Zoomy Burger or whatever the fuck that gross restaurant is called."

"What do you expect from a fast food joint?"

"Something edible!" I walked around and thought for a moment. "Those Purifiers are pissed after what that rescue thing, huh?"

"Yeah!" She laughed. "And do you know what the best part is?! Now they're on a witch hunt for some nonexistent mole!"

"Where did you hear that? I'm sure that those guys are onto us. We basically ran them over."

"Did anyone come here?"

"One Purifier did, but I made short work of him. Some woman tried to save him, but I'm sure that fucker bled out before they could make it anywhere."

"And you didn't invite me?"

"I didn't want to take the chance, I had to act right away."

"Aw..." There was a small silence. "...Hey, Ben, mind if I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"What was it like fighting...'Him' and how did you beat Him?"

"Well...Even now, the memory is a little fuzzy. I know I fought him, but I can't remember any good details from it. All I know is that the only reason I won was by dumb luck. Aside from that, I don't know what to tell you. It's just fucking weird."

"What did he look like?"

"Eh...Dark brown hair, violet eyes-"

"Wait, did you say violet eyes?!"

"Look, I'm not certain, okay?! Brown hair, violet eyes, and, on his own, didn't look very intimidating, but was very, _**very **_strong."

"How long ago was this?!"

"I don't know. It feels like it was so long ago, but there's no way I could've stood up to him if I lost to Alpha."

"You won against him."

"Just like Him, it was dumb luck. I don't count dumb luck...But the fight against the demon that destroyed entire worlds...It feels like a dream, but I know it happened."

"Let me guess, you fought him in another life." She laughed.

"Very funny. I'm serious here...Fuck it, I'm looking for Alpha myself." I got up to leave.

"What if he comes here?"

"Then I'll meet him here when I get back."

* * *

><p><span><em><strong>Battle Time! Alpha vs "The Keeper" Alpha's POV<strong>_

I was in a bit of a corner. Although I did not want to leave the room just in case the portals opened on me, being literally in a corner against a soul that is basically invincible was not fun, either. I shot a few pulses to stall the spirit and give myself time to think.

_Think, think! How did Ben beat me? Wait...Dammit, that's right. That shard opened me up for a knockout hit._ Before I could formulate another plan, I sprayed a small Flamethrower attack to blind him and hide myself with my illusion. It was hard preparing a shot that would shatter him again while covering the light with my illusion. If only I was able to have an illusion fight him with real attacks.

_**Where are you, you trigger-happy prick!** _Giving up my position allowed the ghost to see me. Fortunately he did not have enough time to dodge my shot. After he broke again, I did my best to destroy the pieces as fast as I could. Unfortunately he still managed to piece himself back together and restore the lost parts.

_Was this guy part ditto or something?! _I thought the spirit was just telling what-ifs with the possibilities he mentioned, but he evidently has experience with them. Before he could blast me, I jumped out of the way and put up a barrier. _I cannot do this on my own, _I thought to myself, _I will need the others for this. _The spirit started bashing into the barrier, cracking it. _Can I really buy enough time to let a portal open?! _As soon as he hit the shield again, I cut him off guard with lots of needles made of the same power.

_**Augh! How long are you going to keep this up?!**_

"That is up to you. Give up?"

_**Give up?! Ha! You have no way of escape! I control what comes in and out of here! There's no help coming for you!**_ I was hoping that he was just bluffing, but if he was right, I had to get this done quickly. Unlike him, I did not have all of eternity to fight.

"Are you even a demon?"

_**No, but I have met some of them occasionally. They all wound up the same: destroyed!**_ The spirit sent a blast at me, this time hitting my left arm. I hurt pretty bad, but it was still manageable. I retaliated with both a Dark Pulse and an arrow of energy. The Dark Pulse just went through him and unaffected him, but the arrow gave some more time for stalling.

_...This is going to on forever...If simply destroying him is impossible, then maybe..._

_**Is something wrong?! **_The spirit blasted my bad leg. _**You seem to have something on your mind!**_

_May I never have to do this again..._ I used the force of a Focus Blast to lunge toward him and shatter him with a fist full of soul power. Immediately I took the opportunity and began to absorb all the pieces. Somehow I managed to consume all of him before he could restore himself. I felt sick, both figuratively and literally, for a while before I could get up. A portal opened a few minutes later, signaling that I did not strand myself by consuming that spirit. I grabbed the book I almost forgot about and left to catch up with the others.

"Hey, guys!" I called out, "I took care of him!"

"Wait, what?" Maria poked out of the balcony upstairs.

"Oh, Maria, did you manage to find the others?"

"Maria," Josh said, "Don't run off unless..." He noticed me. "What are you holding?"

"Did I ever tell you of a book with lots of answers to questions about the soul?"

"No..."

"Well, I have it now. Considering the fact that it is not with Andrew, that means he was not watching it enough."

"You stole that?"

"No, I found it here. I do not know what moves this book, but it seems to just vanish on its own."

"I've said this before," I heard Curtis coming, "and I'll say it again: Bullshit!"

"You really need to cut down on the swearing," Maria turned to Curtis.

"Eh, it happens." As Curtis coughed from inhaling some dust, the others came down, and they seemed to have invited someone else in their group.

"How was the Keeper?" Derek asked me. "Didn't you say you took care of him?"

"He...was interesting. He tried making me into a weapon of his. It did not end well for him." I sighed. "Now that all that is over, we should leave."

"None of us left a mark," Josh said.

"I did. Remember when you had me look in the mirror? I had to move a few things off the top of the side table to get a closer look."

"...Oh, yeah...that."

"All we have to do is wait for one of those portal things, and we'll be set to go."

"Okay...Hey, Ryan," Curtis said. "Take a look at this!" Curtis and Ryan went over to a corner up in the balcony.

* * *

><p><span><em>Curtis' POV<em>

"Why do I get the feeling that Alpha is going to kill us as soon as he gets through that doorway?" I asked Ryan quietly.

"I doubt he would do that, given the kind of place we're in," He answered in the same volume, "...but you're not wrong. We've been reliant on him for quite a while. If he's telling the truth, he single-handedly destroyed the very reason we're here in the first place." Before Ryan got up, he said. "Do not engage him until you know for certain that he'll attack. We're still in a delicate situation here."

* * *

><p><strong>Now, I'd like to see reviews, but I'd also like to ask a favor out of you all. What I'd like you all to do is to go to <strong>**AlbertWesker458 and look at his story. I'm beta editing for him, and the story has been dormant for quite some time. It's up to you guys to check that story out and tell Al what you think of his ideas. He's got some potential, so go let him know that.**

**Tell him I said hi.**


	21. Prelude to The Underground War

**_Chapter Twenty-One: Prelude To The Underground War_**

_Strange House Maria's POV_

It didn't take a genius to know that there was hostility in the air. Mace was still mad at Alpha, who was suspicious of Ryan, who was mad at Curtis, who, for some reason, was somewhat avoiding Derek, who seemed to do little but take notes on everyone and talk to that familiar-looking ghost.

"The two hours are almost over." Curtis grumbled.

"Oh, boo-hoo," Alpha retorted, almost tauntingly, "like you are going to get whipped because you were a few minutes late after going through a haunted house that is how-many times bigger than it looks."

"Not all of us have a relaxed agenda like you do."

"What exactly do you do in the Purifier base, anyway? Paper boy? Janitor? What do you do when an pseudo-optimistic leader squanders your talents?"

"Hey, let's not get into a fight." Belle interrupted. They both looked at her. "I don't know how late it is, but we can all agree that this has been a bad night. The last thing we need is a brawl inside an old house with a bad history." They both had a somewhat confused expression.

"...Fine." Alpha left to be on his own, and Curtis went back to Ryan. I went back to talk to Mace and Belle.

"I think this comes close to the worst night I've ever had."

"You're not alone," Mace answered.

"I want to go home just as much as you guys," Belle sighed. "Let's just hope this hour passes by quickly." Curiosity got the best of me when the ghostly woman went to see Alpha. I wanted to know why, but standing in the opposite side of the hall didn't help. They both went upstairs. I pretended to sit down on the stairs to rest a little, but focused my hearing on Alpha and "her".

"Where do you find so much about so many people?" The woman asked Alpha. "You never passed kindergarten, let alone broke into a computer system."

"Paper trail is incredibly handy. All it took was being in the right place at the right time, and all that precious information was mine. Because of it, I know a few things you would be dying to hear...not like that."

"And would you still happen to have this paper?"

"I can show you later...you _can_ leave this place, right?"

"I can."

"Then I will show you."

"...What is that book you're holding?"

"This? It is quite a long story...Excuse me." Alpha walked up to my spot, knowing that I was eavesdropping. "Even in your younger years, you were always so curious." I didn't say anything, partially out of nervousness. "Why so nervous? What would I need to hide from you?"

"I...I..."

"If you do not want to, you do not have to say anything...Does anyone have the time?"

"We've been here for almost two hours." Curtis said from below.

"Those portals have to open soon," Alpha sighed, "I am tired of being stuck in here."

"Aren't we all?" Mace said.

"Don't mess with the mirror," Derek scolded, "If it comes off without warning and breaks, we'll have broken glass all over the floor."

"You have shoes," Mace replied.

"And you don't."

"...Point taken." Mace let go of the mirror.

* * *

><p><em><span>Purifier Base Andrew's POV<span>_

"Is it just me," Helena thought aloud, "or does something about Adam's comatose dreams being linked to the massive killings a couple years back seem a bit off?"

"I have doubts that they're directly linked." I answered. We were walking to Adam's room to check on him.

"Did you see the list of details that were made? It was even in Alpha's perspective!"

"Maybe the nightmares were just based on those events. Part of Adam was there, so maybe the dreams were just blurred reenactments." Helena showed me the papers. She wasn't kidding about the similarities. It was specified that only one ralts escaped in the dream. Mace described the attack on his family as him being the only survivor out of a village that had fighting as the core of its culture. We got to the room and entered. I caught off guard by the dead silence in his room, but not nearly as much as I was by the vacant look in his eyes.

"Um...Are you feeling alright, Adam?" Helena kept a small distance.

"...I don't know..."

"Do you feel physically fine?" I asked.

"Yeah, but...I don't know how I feel aside from that...How long have I been out?"

"...Almost two years. Ruby woke a while ahead of you. It wasn't until recently that she recovered from her amnesia, though."

"I see..."

"You remember everything, don't you?" Helena asked.

"I'm pretty sure I remember everything. I remember the fresh air in the woods, my friends taking Ruby and me in," The vacancy in him started to be filled with a little happiness. He even smiled a little. "our little search we had together...my demon taunting me..." he stopped smiling. "warping me...setting me up..." That empty atmosphere was quickly filling with that feeling that came with every one of Adam's mental attacks.

"Adam!" I got his attention in time. "A few things have happened during your coma, and we'll get you up to date, but first, we need to talk to you about something."

"Like what?"

* * *

><p><em><span>Maria's POV<span>_

Curtis was giving Alpha some cold glares, to which Alpha only smiled. I wasn't sure what Alpha was talking about back at the forest, but it seemed to strike a nerve in Curtis. Derek was also watching Alpha, but his looks were more observant than ticked. I wanted to figure out what Alpha meant by Curtis having a history with Derek, but Curtis seemed pretty defensive about it. Figuring that this would be the last time I would see Derek, what would I have to lose?

"Um...Derek?"

"Maria?"

"Alpha said that you and Curtis had history together. What did he mean by that?"

"...I would say, but I don't want to say anything if Curtis doesn't want it to be said. Perhaps he can tell you when he'd ready to do so." That didn't help, but I didn't want to be rude. So I just dropped it and went to the basement. Coincidentally, Curtis was there, too.

"If you want to know so badly, then I'll tell you," he said bluntly.

"Whoa...if it bothers you, then I don't want you to..." I didn't really know how to finish that sentence.

"...Yes or no?"

"...Could you?" I asked somewhat sheepishly.

"To start things off crazily, what would you say if you were told that I was from an entirely different world?"

"Considering we're in a house with pocket dimensions and the fact that Black City and White Forest take up the exact same space on the map, I wouldn't doubt that."

"I'm talking about a world where pokemon don't exist, health care is extremely expensive, and the nations of that world are incredibly violent."

"Wow...so how did you end up here?"

"The leaders of my world began to learn the secrets of the soul near the end. But instead of people learning the natural power, they created artificial weapons capable of damaging and destroying souls. Soon an arms race started, and all it took was one bomb called 'The Lake of Fire' to destroy every sign of life on my planet except me. The last moments of my three-year-old life were a bright light, and then cold, blank darkness."

"How did you come out unharmed?!"

"I didn't. In that darkness, everything hurt horribly. Andrew said that, when he found me, all that was left was barely half of a soul, and not even a physical body could be found."

"...So how were you fixed, and how does this tie with Derek?"

"With the technology that the Purifiers had, they took energy from Derek and turned it into a replacement for the half of me that was destroyed. Once I became a functioning soul again, Derek also gave his DNA to be altered so the resulting body would be compatible with me. Once I was given my new life, Derek spent his spare time raising me and helping me with the trauma of being broken to my very essence. Then, after the night he killed John and Clara, I never saw him again until tonight."

"Wouldn't you be happy to finally see him again? You've been avoiding him the whole time we've been here."

"Think about it like this: Derek was more of a father to me than my real one. He not only gave me new life, but he also gave me a reason to keep going after taking the insufferable. That very same man suddenly gets executed for murdering two innocent and well-revered citizens, along with rumors of a planned population 'cleansing' spanning the entire region. This one act costs the entire faction our good relation with the people we defended. Years later, when he somehow comes back, he seals our fate by giving away that we're not just a small band of mercenaries and a corporation, but an army stronger than any official military in the world, along with records that were best left forgotten. Instead of using _his_ second chance to start anew like I did, he uses it to drag us all down to hell, including me. Derek may be my dad in my eyes, but the Purifiers were also my family, and he ruined every single one of us."

"...I see your point...Are all the other Purifiers from other worlds, too? You said Andrew found you."

"Most of them are native to this one, but some of them are foreign. Andrew and all of the original Feared Five except for Derek were of a different world."

"Wow...This is a bit to take in."

"Let's get back to the main floor. It's gotta be a matter of minutes before the portals open."

Apparently I get more curious the more tired I am, because as soon as Derek was in vision I turned an ear to him.

"Is something bothering you, Derek?" That woman asked Derek.

"It's been haunting me for a while. I was just as surprised as you were that night, but-"

"You don't have to keep worrying about it, Derek. I forgave you a long time ago."

"You...did?"

"Hey, the portals are finally open!" Alpha called out to us.

"Finally!" Mace got up. "I was starting to think we were trapped in here."

"You talked to the keeper, didn't you?" Curtis asked. "Are there any problems with multiple people trying to use the same exact loophole?"

"Just imagine the time you saw me look in the mirror when I changed." Luckily we all made it out of the portal okay. The first thing Alpha, Derek, and that ghost did was step out of the house. Much to Alpha's disappointment, he reverted to his old, dark grey form. Ryan and Curtis looked at each other and nodded. I noticed Curtis pull out some sort of knife, and Ryan quietly armed himself with his own blades. None of us said a word, but nervously stepped back. The two moved forward as well, but Alpha spoke before they got too close.

"If you attack us right after a night like this, there is no going back. If you fight, you will fight until one of us is dead." They stopped, but remained armed. "And do not forget that I beat Andrew with a bad leg." They stood in place. "Good." The three began to leave.

"You do realize that you and Derek are enemies of the state, right?!" Ryan called out to them.

"Derek was granted immunity, and as for me...well, legally, I do not exist. As for you, though, you had better be careful." The woman was the only one who turned around to wave goodbye before turning into the spherical form of a soul and floating off.

"We should get back to base, Curtis." Ryan told Curtis.

"...What about the civilians?" Curtis asked.

"What about...right...the police...Given that Andrew allowed it,"Ryan turned to us, "Would you come with us? The police haven't given you many areas to stay." We all nodded. Ryan called Andrew.

"Boss?"

"Are you done yet?"

"Yes...but we need your input."

"On what?"

"Should we take in the civilians Curtis tried to alert? If the police get to them first, then there cold be trouble in the long run."

"...Fine. Take them with you. Just get back here." Andrew hung up.

"...Get ready," Curtis sighed, "because it's a long walk." True to his word, it was an extremely long walk. I had completely lost track of time when we got there. After a few clearances made by Ryan and Curtis, we were given a very small room to rest in. It was something, so it worked. Hopefully I would get to meet Adam while I was here.

* * *

><p><em><span>Police Station Alpha's POV<span>_

I honestly did not know whether to feel offended or excited to have everyone look at me with an expression that said "What is he?!".

"Is this the demon you mentioned, Derek?" Jenny said. Not even she could keep a straight face.

"This is the one. He is going to be a major asset."

"He looks like he's already studying." They could poke fun at the papers and book all they wanted, but they would be thankful for them later. "And how exactly is he supposed to help us against Andrew's mercenaries?"

"This young man," Derek said, "Has held his own against me in combat, and you are more than aware of my record, form my days before I was a Purifier. He has also broke into the heart of the enemy's operations, sabotaged a heavy portion of vital equipment, and escaped with little detection. When he was discovered and captured, he escaped again." I made it apparent that I had a few questions.

"How do you know about the sabotage and the prison escape? It was pure luck that I was able to get away as a prisoner."

"I have my sources for the sabotage, and," Derek walked up to the table and picked a piece of paper form the table, "are you sure your opportunity was luck?" He showed me plans to what looked like some sort of generator. "Technology that can go toe-to-toe with demons doesn't just break on its own."

"You were there?!" I was confused at how he knew about the blackout.

"No, but do you really think _everyone_ believed that I would kill the innocent family of a childhood friend? Nobody was suspicious?"

"So you _do _have moles..."

"Correct, but you have a different role to play."

"...You know that I have an agenda, right? That is why I have stuck around this whole mess."

"And we will help you if you help us."

"I have two questions: First, when do I start? Second, may I go to find someone that could further help us?"

"One demon was enough," Derek set down the papers, "we don't need more."

"This is one pokemon, and he has personal ties to some of the Purifier's allies."

"...Your call, Jenny."

"Fine. You can find that ally in an hour." Jenny walked away. "And you start next friday."

* * *

><p><em><span>Purifier Base Maria's POV<span>_

It was hard to tell what Curtis was feeling as Andrew scolded him for disobeying orders, but happiness and pride were not even close to the correct answer. A couple of the Purifiers smiled as they walked by the scene, but most of them felt a little sorry for Curtis. On a brighter note, Mace couldn't help but snicker at my excitement for finally being able to meet Adam ever since he lost his parents. Curtis walked over to us with a subtle smile.

"Well, with that out of the way, I'll lead the way." Curtis motioned for us to come. We went down a hallway and came across an empty room. "Well that's...not right...Where did he go?" Curtis checked a notepad. "Excuse me for a second, let me find out where..." We saw Adam walk out of a corner into the hall. He was dressed in all black, and, although I saw him lying in a bed, I never realized how tall he was. I mean, he wasn't a giant, but he probably trumped Josh by an inch or so. "...Never mind."

"Visitors?" Adam sounded eerily similar to Alpha, but I probably should've saw that coming. "Did Ruby call for visitors?"

"No," Curtis responded, "but these people have been waiting to meet you." Curtis took out the notepad again. "Did anyone bring you up to date on what you missed?"

"Not everything, but some."

"Then it's a good chance that your visitors will catch you up."

"Speaking of, who are you all...wait...Josh?!" Josh smiled a bit once he was recognized.

"I'll leave the rest to you four. If you need me for anything, just hit this button." Curtis tossed me a small red button and left.

"So Josh," Adam spoke up. It was still hard for me to adjust to hearing Alpha's voice coming from my cousin. "Could you tell me who these new faces are?"

"Is Ruby around? I'm sure she'd want to hear this, too."

As soon as Ruby came by we caught the two up on most of what happened. The two reacted differently to the news. Ruby smiled at the end, but I could tell that Adam as thinking long and hard about Alpha. He still smiled and even commented on how much I had grown up since he last saw me. I did omit some parts, like Curtis being Derek's adopted son, and Alpha trying to turn us against Andrew, but it was still fine. We had lunch together and talked some more.

"That bad, huh?" Adam sighed. "So you're...we're fugitives now?"

"Yeah," Josh sighed as well.

"News spread past Unova," Ruby added, "so our old friends have probably gone into hiding."

"How did you find that out?" Adam asked.

"I read the minds of a few Purifiers," Ruby said with a smile.

"You did?" Mace asked. He seemed to be the only one concerned about that.

"Yup. Nobody noticed. Not even the people I read."

"Wow..." I shared the same concern as Mace.

"It's okay," Ruby smiled, "You two are fine."

"So, Adam," I asked, "how was living in the woods?"

"Interesting," he answered. "I actually kind of liked it. It was also where I explored what I was capable of. I could do so many complicated things with my zoroark powers, but I couldn't even read or write...well, except in a dead language."

"What language _can_ you read in?" Josh wondered.

"I don't know its name...Well, I'll be glad once I get out of here. It's been too long since I've had any fresh air."

"About that..." Curtis came and sat next to us. "We're apparently relocating everyone and everything somewhere else, and they're asking for all the help they can get to move things around."

"Well, that's no problem," Adam said to Curtis.

"You're also going to be a guinea pig for some more tests."

"Come on!"

"If you have a problem, stick it to the Boss. He's especially cranky today."

"...I guess a couple tests won't hurt," Adam sighed.

"If I can ask one more thing...how did you end up in the coma?" Adam shuddered a little, but answered anyway.

"...You were told about my stalemate with my demon, right?" I nodded. "Well, after the stalemate ended and I gained the ability of soul power, I defeated Derek, then Andrew brought the eight...nine, including my trapped demon, to the base, then Alpha broke free, killed some people, then killed a friends of ours, and then, at the Lostlorn Forest, tried to kill Ruby and me. We both traded final blows to each other, and that's all I remember from that day."

"Oh..."

"Now let me ask you something in return: Why spend two whole years looking for me?"

"Well, it was just one year. The other year was in the Purifiers' hands."

"Still, why look for me."

"...You were the only family left. Everyone else pushed me away because I didn't think of you badly."

"Maria...I mean well by saying this, but I feel that it was a mistake to look for me."

"W-Why?" Adam was just confusing me.

"Did Alpha ever tell you that I was a danger to everyone around me?"

"Yeah, but why would we trust what _he _said?!"

"Two reasons. One, he was my demon. He knew me better than even Ruby did...Speaking of which, are you feeling okay, Ruby?"

"I'm fine. Why?"

"Just checking...Second, I've gone berserk once or twice, and I almost ended up killing or hurting someone. I probably could have saved Nathan if I hadn't tried to attack Alpha instead of protecting my injured friend."

"...What's that in your hand?" Curtis asked Adam.

"Souvenir from some ghost who tried to help me."

"The ghost wouldn't happen to have blue hair, blue eyes, and wore a blue robe, would she?"

"You saw her?"

"Yeah, just last night."

"...Huh..."

"I'll meet you all in the cargo facility," Curtis got up and left. "They could use some help carrying supplies.

"...Adam, why exactly do you think you're such a danger to us?" Josh asked.

"Ever since I regained my emotions and learned how to use my soul for power, there's always been this feeling of hate inside me, and it's only gotten worse. After the coma, I've also heard voices whenever I zoned out. My vision was affected. I could easily see through one-way glass. I even had nightmares full of death throughout the coma."

"You imagined your own death that much?" Mace was getting a little nervous after he asked that, not that any of us could talk. Adam's head fell a little.

"...No..."

"Adam...do you need some time by yourself?" Josh asked.

"I probably do." Adam got up to leave. "Sorry for the short-lived talk."

"It's fine."

It didn't take long before the rest of us went our separate ways for a little bit. As much as I hated to admit it, some of Alpha's ideas were starting to make sense. I didn't regret trying to find Adam, but I was worried for him. Even Adam admitted that Alpha had a valid point. The looks of the doctors and nearby Purifiers didn't help, either. Nobody was confident with bringing back Adam. If he really had that much power inside him, and it triggered under immense anger, there was no telling what could happen.

"Woah...are you okay?" Curtis noticed me.

"Yeah, I'm okay..."

"You don't look like it." I looked up. "Were you really that shaken up from meeting Adam for the first time?"

"...He's changed."

"Well, growing up does that to people. When you last saw him before today, he still had his parents, he still had you, the only outside relative that would recognize him as something other than a freak of nature, and he had no reason to hide himself away from us and everyone else for eight years."

"How did you know about my relatives?"

"We do background checks."

_Figures, _I thought.

"But hiding himself..."

"Think about it. When you heard that members of our group, one of which was very high-ranking, killed your aunt and uncle, and tried to kill your cousin, how did you look at us?" I stood silent, but he knew what I was thinking. "Now imagine what a six-year-old who had every right to be afraid of his own extended family would think of us, after taking away his parents. That same broken Adam is here now, reflecting on what happened in his past, what happened in the two years he missed, and what is going to happen in the future, knowing that his own demon and the Purifier that killed his parents are rousing up a war and pitting the very people we wanted to protect against us."

"...I hoped that there would be peace after finding him..." I teared up a little. "That I could finally have family that I could look up to..."

"What about the others? Belle? Mace? Don't they mean anything to you? And Adam means well. I'm sure he wants you safe."

"...How can you stand being a Purifier? I just want the carefree days back..."

"I...I don't really know. Life as one is really all I've ever known. Everything before then just...hurts. I know you looked for Adam so you could have a happy and peaceful life, but you should know that neither you, Adam, or any of your friends are going to be leaving anytime soon."

"I think I know why."

"Yup. There's a war coming. We're caught between a rock and a hard place. I honestly wonder what has been wrong with Andrew lately."

"What do you mean?"

"Where I'm from, legal emancipation was at the age of eighteen. Here, it's a regular thing to go on journeys at age ten...My point is that Andrew is going to be keeping a very close eye on all of you, and not just for your safety. There's a hunt for moles going on, and nobody's getting a bye. Just be careful. Things are worse than ever...If you want, I can show you to your room."

"Thanks..." We left. I lied down on my bed. It took a while for the fact that we were caught in a war to sink in. All I could do was lie there, and imagine what could happen to any of us.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay...It's no secret that this has been an iffy ride at best. As you can tell from the ending, this transitions into Search For A Purpose: Part 2, and I have poorly stayed true to the horror genre (if this story has horror at all). What I intend to do is, as soon as this story ends within another chapter or two, (<span>And bear with me on this one please!<span>), and I start Part Two of Search For A Purpose, I will rewrite this story.**

**It should also be noted that my efforts will be prioritized on Search For a Purpose during this stage.**

**Now, like Search For A Purpose, I will change a few things to improve the overall story and make it more fitting for its genres, posting it as a separate story. Unlike that story, I will keep the original for this up until the new one is finished, and the changes to Search For Family one are going to be extremely minor, not major enough to completely change the story, but the expansion and changes will be noteworthy.**

**The most important changes will be that the "horror" of this story will be purged and replaced with a more fitting genre (possibly suspense or drama, I really don't know), and the story will be slightly expanded to make more appropriate timing for character development. This purge won't destroy events like Alpha's insanity episodes and Josh's loss of family, but it will change to suit a better meaning.**

**If you're against this for any reason, or want to suggest specific improvements, let me know is some way, whether it be a review or a private message, but this chapter concludes this story and moves into Part Two of Search For A Purpose. If you haven't reviewed, please do so now. I'll see you later!**

* * *

><p><em>...They forgot me...One battle and then...They forgot me...<em>


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